Scion Connections Issue 39

SCION NEWSLETTER ▪ ISSUE 39 ▪ MARCH 2021

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Our one shot to move from fossil fuels Dr Paul Bennett is Chair of the world’s foremost bioenergy research collaboration the International Energy Agency Bioenergy group. He is also on the NZ Bioenergy Association Board, and a trustee at the National Energy Research Institute. Paul has spent 15 years researching biofuels, preceded by 20 years working on automotive fuels at BP. Now he leads Scion’s portfolio on integrated bioenergy. If you ask Paul why he chose to come to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, his answer is straight forward. When he looked at New Zealand, he saw a small country that punches above its weight in international influence and is well suited to adopting biofuels and bioenergy on a national scale. Here are his thoughts on New Zealand’s opportunity with biofuels and bioenergy. “We’ll only get one opportunity to choose the new systems and technology

that move us away from fossil fuels. Once we set off down our chosen path, there’s no getting that time or investment back. “The Government is beginning to chart that path now. We know it won’t be straight forward. The Climate Change Commission’s (CCC) draft report says that New Zealand’s shift away from fossil fuels won’t be resolved with a single silver bullet. Instead we will have to employ a network of solutions. “The Government has announced that bioenergy will be an important part of the equation. We already have the technology to begin transitioning some of New Zealand’s big greenhouse gas emitting sectors – transport and energy for industrial processes – away from fossil fuels. “Some industrial energy users (manufacturing, production and construction) have already begun switching

to low-carbon fuels by installing new biomass boilers that produce energy from renewable resources like forestry residues. However, we can save industry from replacing costly infrastructure. “There are solid biofuel options available now that can directly replace coal. This solid biofuel can be used in existing coal boilers, and it is made with biomass from our local, sustainable forestry sector (see “‘Bio-coal’ for better burning bioenergy”, in this issue of Scion Connections). The biofuel coal replacement is easy to transport, store (doesn’t absorb water or grow mould), has similar energy density to coal, and is grindable (as required for some existing coal boilers). It’s an easy win for now. “The draft CCC report also recommends replacing three percent of transport fuels (Continued on page 7)

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