Feedstocks are essential to bioenergy production. The Australian Government has committed to exploring how we can grow a strong bioenergy feedstock industry.
Australia’s wide range of biomass feedstocks – organic materials used to produce bioenergy - each come with their own commercial, technical, and logistical challenges and opportunities. Overcoming barriers to building supply chains will require clear policies, developed in coordination with industry, producers and governments.
The National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy (strategy) will guide a coordinated approach to developing the feedstock industry. It aims to maximise opportunities for agriculture and forestry, while ensuring bioenergy feedstock production continues to complement food and fibre production.
The strategy is being developed alongside the National Food Security Strategy: Feeding Australia, to ensure both strategies work together.
Bioenergy
Bioenergy -including most low-carbon liquid fuels and low carbon gases- will be important to Australia’s transition to net zero emissions. These alternatives to fossil fuels can help reduce emissions in sectors that are hard to electrify, such as aviation, maritime, heavy transportation, and mining.
Bioenergy will also help strengthen Australia’s long-term fuel security and create new, diverse economic opportunities.
The Australian Government has made several new and expanded commitments to support a domestic bioenergy industry. The National Bioenergy Feedstock Strategy is part of this broader effort, which includes:
- the National Interest Framework of the Future Made in Australia plan
- the Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund
- the Guarantee of Origin (GO) Scheme
- the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Funding Initiative
Stakeholder Engagement
The department will soon begin engaging with stakeholders to help shape the strategy. This will include a Have Your Say process, featuring a discussion paper and an invitation for feedback from producers, industry groups, researchers, and the wider community.
For more information on the Have Your Say process, or to register interest in participating, please email feedstocks@aff.gov.au.