Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment - Te Kaitiaki Taiao a Te Whare Pāremata

Feedback to Ministry of Economic Development: Reviewing Aspects of the Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations 2008

Reviewing Aspects of the Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations 2008

I am grateful for the opportunity to comment on your review of aspects of the Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations 2008.

My interest principally derives from my report Some biofuels are better than others: thinking strategically about biofuels, released in July 2010. The third recommendation of that report was that the Minister of Energy and Resources modify the Biodiesel Grants Scheme, including allowing biodiesels other than fatty acid methyl esters (FMEs) to qualify for support. Such biodiesels might include hydrogenated renewable diesels (HRDs), algal biodiesels, Fischer-Tropsh synfuels made from wood, and others.

The Engine Fuel Specifications Regulations 2008 currently limits 'biodiesel' to FMEs and 'diesel' to distillates refined from mixtures of natural hydrocarbons. They do no appear to cover synthetic fuels that meet diesel specifications but which are not FMEs. This is a barrier to allowing biodiesels other than FMEs to qualify for support from the Biodiesel Grants Scheme.