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Nelson breathes easy as clean green Biogold™ Fuel arrives


18 May 2011

BANZ MEDIA STATEMENT

Nelson breathes easy as clean green Biogold™ Fuel arrives

A new biodiesel distribution facility announced today for the upper South Island gives the region’s fuel users a ‘clean, green, sustainable’ alternative to mainstream fuels, says the Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ).

With the Government focussed on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2050, and the Regional Council working towards the delivery of improved air quality, BANZ executive officer Brian Cox said he welcomed the announcement that would make biodiesel more available to a greater number of users in the Nelson Region.

“The new distribution facility announced by Biodiesel New Zealand is a good fit with the positive environmental attitude evident in Nelson. We have seen the same thing happen in Queenstown and I’m confident that Nelson will experience the same success.”

“If New Zealand is serious about cutting emissions from transport, biofuel needs to take centre stage in our everyday driving,” said Mr Cox. “This distribution hub makes the fuel available to a great number of new users. Not only does it have positive outcomes for the local environment, the increased visibility of biofuels gives credence to the ‘clean, green’ image New Zealand likes to sell overseas”, said Mr Cox. “What could be better for Nelson than green tourism, green fishing and green trucking”, he said.

Mr Cox added that while the biofuels industry in New Zealand was small it was benefitting from the support of the Government’s Biodiesel Grant Scheme. The Scheme is an essential component of cementing this industry into place said Mr Cox. I’m pleased to say that as in most other countries around the world the New Zealand Government is supporting the development of the biofuels industry. The industry is performing well as demand continues to grow. It is also providing additional employment, economic growth and for some feedstocks uses material that would otherwise go to landfills.”

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Adopting biofuels could benefit the New Zealand economy as well as the environment, said Mr Cox. Increasingly, in the international arena biofuels were being viewed as the lead-in or pre-cursor to an even bigger opportunity - that of the bio products industry (biochemicals and biomaterials from forestry and waste). Some commentators were hailing it the future bio-era or bioeconomy.
“As a country, with our vast bio resources, our skilled workforce and our reputation for being ‘clean and green’, we are well placed to turn our growing biofuels sector into something bigger – a world scale ‘hub’ for all things bio. The current Government biodiesel initiative is providing a foundation for this future growth.”

“Well done to Biodiesel NZ and to the local region for its support of this initiative. This move takes us one step closer to a bio-future.”

Ends

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