The Fuel Standard (Biodiesel) Determination 2003 was signed by the Minister for the Environment and Heritage on 18 September 2006. The determination sets out the physical and chemical parameters of the Biodiesel standard. It also sets out the associated test methods that the Government will use to determine compliance.
Biodiesel subsidies are to be phased out by 2011, after the passing of the Fuel Tax Bill 2006.
Australian Farmers Fuel (SAFF) began retailing B100 in South Australia in 2001 and now also sells B20 (marketed as "Premium Diesel") at some 52 service stations across 4 states. SAFF currently sells B100 at 14 of these service stations.
All of the metropolitan trains and most of the metropolitan buses in Adelaide (capital of South Australia) operate on a B5 blend. The South Australian Government has stated that it will soon move to B20 or possibly higher blends.
Several councils (local Governments) across Australia are using B20 (including Townsville City Council, Adelaide City Council, Sydney City Council and Newcastle City Council).
In February of 2005 the first retail outlet for Biodiesel opened in the Sydney suburb of Marrickville. It offers B20 and B50 blends to the general public, and caters to qualified fleets wishing to utilize B100.
2006 saw the second rollout, after SAFF, of Biodiesel by a service station network. Gull, a Western Australian based company, introduced B20 Biodiesel to several Gull service stations on April 3, 2006 which has since expanded to a total of 21 sites of purchase. In addition, pure Biodiesel (B100) along with other blends can be purchased in bulk. Gull is also involved with the Western Australian Government to provide B5 Biodiesel for use in Transperth buses. Eventually the fleet will be provided with B10 or B20 blends. Currently seven percent of Transperth's bus fleet is running Biodiesel.
More recent news is the launch of reeFUEL biodiesel in "Sustainable," a retailer in Townsville, Queensland. reeFUEL sells only B100 and as of September 2006, was selling 50,000 litres per week into a community of about 160,000. This is believed to be the highest penetration of biodiesel per capita in Australia. See www.reeFUEL.com for more information.
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