NZ Govt to announce biofuels decision
The Government's targets and deadlines for the introduction of biofuels
will be announced tomorrow.
In her opening speech to Parliament, Prime Minister Helen Clark will
outline the obligations that will be placed on oil companies to blend
their petrol and diesel with products made from renewable sources such
as food crops and animal waste.
The percentage of biofuel that will have to be added will initially be
small, NZPA understands, and the oil companies have been consulted about
the changes they will have to make.
"I think it has to happen," Miss Clark said at her post-cabinet press
conference.
"It means people doing things a little differently to what they have
done before with respect to the blend of petrol and diesel that they
provide."
Miss Clark said she knew, after attending international summit meetings,
that many other countries were going in the same direction.
"From our point of view it would lessen our dependence on imports of oil
over time, and of course it's a cleaner fuel," she said.
"There are a lot of benefits, not only environmental, from going down
this track."
In September last year the Government issued a discussion paper
suggesting a biofuel percentage of 0.25 in 2008 rising to 2.25 by 2012.
Britain has ordered oil companies to make biofuels at least 5 percent of
the petrol and diesel sold on service station forecourts by 2010.
Several research projects are underway in New Zealand into biofuel
production from crops, animal waste and even pond scum.
Miss Clark will use her speech tomorrow to set out the Government's
wider plans for managing greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.
"We've had a major review of climate change policies, there are huge
policy proposals out there and I believe we are developing credible
policies which will line up well with those of other countries," she
said today.
The Government abandoned its plans for a carbon tax in 2005 and has
since been looking at alternative ways to restrict emissions.
Asked today about "putting a price" on carbon, Miss Clark said the
Government was working hard on the emissions issue.
"Business is looking for signals on it, when it will happen and how it
will happen," she said.
"We're not ready to move yet."
The Green Party said the Government should act now.
"Because the Government caved in and scrapped the carbon tax, we have
lost a lot of time that the planet didn't have," said co-leader Jeanette
Fitzsimons.
"It will take a long time to devise and implement a workable emissions
trading scheme. We are barely at the drawing board stage on a carbon
trading system."
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