ARENA SEEKS INPUT ON BIOENERGY ROADMAP

MEDIA RELEASE - 28TH APRIL 2020

ARENA SEEKS INPUT ON BIOENERGY ROADMAP

On behalf of the Australian Government, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is seeking input from stakeholders in Australia’s bioenergy sector to underpin the development of the Bioenergy Roadmap.

ARENA has appointed a consortium of ENEA Consulting and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu to assist in delivering the Bioenergy Roadmap, and has today commenced public consultation on the roadmap.

Last year, ARENA announced that its Board had agreed to a request from the Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction, Hon Angus Taylor MP, to invest in the development of a roadmap to identify the role that the bioenergy sector can play in Australia’s energy transition and in helping Australia meet its emission reduction commitments.

The Bioenergy Roadmap will help to inform the next series of investment and policy decisions in the bioenergy sector in Australia. It will be an important input into the Australian Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap and will potentially help us capitalise on opportunities to enhance Australia’s energy security and further reduce our emissions.

The Bioenergy Roadmap, expected to be completed in the second half of this year, will focus on:

• Quantifying the economic opportunities for Australia, including a focus on regional Australia
• The potential for biofuels to decarbonise the industrial and transport sectors and contribute more broadly to Australia’s liquid fuel security
• Assessing where Australia has a competitive advantage
• Identifying economic or regulatory impediments to future growth
• Providing clear findings for industry and government to help inform the next stage of development of the sector.

On behalf of ARENA, ENEA Consulting and Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu are seeking to canvas views from a wide range of stakeholders in Australia’s bioenergy sector through a series of workshops, direct interviews and an open submission process.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the roadmap is expected to provide clear findings for industry and government to drive outcomes for the development of the bioenergy industry in Australia.

“The development of the Bioenergy Roadmap presents an opportunity to allow industry leaders, researchers and the public to provide insight into the current state of bioenergy in Australia and how best we can grow the sector in the future.

“It will also be an important input into the Australian Government’s Technology Investment Roadmap which will be released for public consultation soon.

Over the past 8 years, ARENA has provided approximately $118 million in funding towards bioenergy projects across Australia. ARENA’s investments to date span electricity and biogas production, biofuels, efficient feedstock harvesting technology and projects that aim to capture energy from a range of waste materials.

Submissions are invited from businesses, research groups, industry associations, community groups and individuals until 5pm AEST on Friday 29 May 2020.

A final report will be provided to the Minister later this year.

For more information and to provide input into the process, visit the website.