Biofuels excise raises industry fears in Queensland

The Dalby Bio-Refinery on southern Queensland’s western Darling Downs says it is concerned about the government’s plans to phase in an excise on biofuels from July next year. The government did not make any provision in the budget to continue exempting ethanol-blended fuels from the excise and has also decided to cut the offset grant payment scheme to producers by 2015. Dalby Bio-Refinery Chief Executive Officer Kevin Endres said he cannot understand why the government is cutting the exemption and grant scheme for the country’s biofuels industry. He said the government should be developing the industry while it is still in its infancy. (May 13, 2010)