Queensland Biofuels may power US Navey

Queensland researchers will make a bid to provide biofuels for US Navy ships and planes by 2020.

Queensland has an opportunity to interest the US Navy with its biofuels technology development according to the state’s premier Anna Bligh, who is currently in Washington attending BIO 2011.

“America’s Clemson University and the University of Queensland, this week signed a research agreement that will pursue public and private sector funding to advance biofuel research, commercialisation and large-scale biofuel production projects,” Ms Bligh said.

Biofuel research in Australia has so far involved sources such as sugarcane juice and bagasse and oilseed trees such as millettia and algae.

“Specialty crops, grasses, trees and marine algae, to household, industrial and agricultural waste, have the potential to be converted into products such as fuels, plastics, paper and chemicals,” Ms Bligh said.

These technologies could revolutionise how transport is fuelled; energy is produced and products are manufactured, she said.

Biofuels in ships and aircrafts are already being trialled by the US Navy – and by 2020 it aims to have half its fuel needs derived from alternative sources.

Ms Bligh said Queensland is a large sugar producer and has many research institutions working on biofuels, and believes the state could lead the commercial production of biofuels.

http://www.lloydslistdcn.com.au/archive/2011/june/30/biofuels-to-change-how-we-fuel-transport