WA Business Aims to Wean Australia Off Middle Eastern Oil with Straw-to-Fuel Refinery

Australia's reliance on Middle Eastern oil is set to be reduced with the proposed construction of a $400 million renewable diesel refinery in Narrogin, Western Australia. The project, led by Glas Energy, aims to turn straw into fuel, producing 20 million litres of low-carbon liquid fuels annually.

The site will process around 70,000 tonnes of straw and straw residuals, which is organically sourced and equally efficient as traditional diesel. Nathan Carbone, a spokesperson for Glas Energy, stated that the product burns clean and can be blended with existing diesel at any rate.

Developers are seeking support from state and federal governments to finance up to 50% of the project through the Clean Energy Future Fund. This funding would enable the company to contribute the remaining 50%. Nathan Carbone emphasized that this is not a handout, but rather an investment in a project with significant economic benefits for the region.

The initiative has been met with interest from local businesses, such as WA trucking company KTrans, which operates a fleet of 150 heavy haulage trucks. However, they have cautioned that renewable fuel options need to be commercially viable and comparable to fossil fuel prices before making the switch.