The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering has released a new report on decarbonising diesel fuelled industries.
In Australia, the mining, freight, agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors are all primarily powered by diesel.
However, this brings considerable environmental and economic impacts, which ATSE has now addressed in its report, as well as presenting cleaner, alternative strategies for the future of these industries.
Central to the report are five suggestions from the Academy: a national technical and economic assessment of decarbonisation pathways, a review of financial incentives supporting diesel use, a coordinated future diesel strategy, investment in comprehensive infrastructure for clean energy transition and targeted support across the technology maturity spectrum.
Alternative fuels put forward by the report include biofuels, electrification and green hydrogen.
“Diesel combustion contributes approximately 17% of Australia’s total carbon emissions, posing a major obstacle to meeting the country’s climate targets of a 43% reduction by 2030”, the report said.
“Despite these clear challenges, current policy settings inadvertently support diesel use by subsidising fossil fuel consumption.”
