CANBERRA, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Low-carbon liquid fuels offer practical pathways for hard-to-abate, hydrocarbon-dependent sectors like aviation, shipping and heavy industry to build a resilient and diverse energy system amid sharp fluctuations in the global oil and gas industry, according to an expert with Australia's national science agency.
The motivations behind low-carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) are an enduring catalyst for change, said Daniel Roberts, who leads the Energy Technologies Research Program at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).
Two pathways offer practical solutions: power-to-liquid synthetic fuels combining hydrogen with captured carbon dioxide, and biogenic fuels converting biomass and waste into liquid fuels, Roberts said.
"These have motivated alternative fuels research and energy independence ambitions for a very long time," he said, adding that they would need every available pathway to meet demand volumes.
Liquid fuels account for over half of Australia's final energy consumption and about 30 percent of national emissions, yet domestic production meets only about 20 percent of demand, according to CSIRO.
The country imports more than 50 billion liters of refined petroleum products annually, with diesel comprising 60 percent of the total, it said, adding that developing a local LCLF industry can support emission goals and help the development of stable, sovereign clean fuel supplies. ■
