Beyond Fossil Diesel

3 July 2023

Stage 1: Beyond Fossil Diesel

Beyond Fossil Diesel is Stage 1 of a proposed 3-stage project that aims to develop decarbonisation solutions for the existing fleet of diesel-powered heavy vehicles and machines, particularly in primary industries.  

This project will address the dual problems of a current market failure in developing these solutions at scale, and the continued production and purchase of diesel-powered vehicles and equipment before decarbonised alternatives become available. Given the often decades-long lifespan of these assets, viable retrofit decarbonisation solutions are essential.  

Stage 1 will develop a bespoke demonstration unit (P2Xpress) to raise awareness and demonstrate renewable liquid fuels and partial electrification. The P2Xpress will attend a series of “Beyond Fossil Diesel” symposiums and field days to spark interest and discussion. 

This stage of the project has five parts:  

  1. Development of the P2Xpress – a hybrid Hino heavy tow vehicle which will be fitted out to complement the existing NSW DPI ‘H2Cuts’ display unit. The tow vehicle will be fuelled initially with lipid-based renewable diesel, and when available, electric-based synthetic diesel fuel.  
  2. A series of symposiums – “Beyond Fossil Diesel” – will be run across NSW with a focus on primary industries. This will raise awareness of the need to decarbonise and build knowledge of feasible fossil alternatives. 
  3. The P2Xpress and the H2Cuts display unit will feature at agricultural field days around NSW to build awareness of and demonstrate low emissions technologies such as hybrid vehicles, hydrogen fuel cells, lithium-ion batteries and solar PV. 
  4. Benchmarking survey of energy and chemical use within NSW primary industries that will allow a longer-term assessment of the impact of capacity building by the energy networks in the Decarbonisation Hub. 
  5. Development and publication of knowledge sharing materials (explainers and videos) based on project events, about feasible diesel alternatives.  

Stage 2: Beyond Fossil Diesel @ Sea

Stage 2 of this project raises awareness of the transition of fuel consumption away from fossil diesel in marine applications, specifically the fishing industry.

The Stage 2 activities are: 

  • Demonstration of the use of blended renewable diesel and petrodiesel in normal operations for commercial fishing fleet assets.
  • Economic sensitivity assessment of typical commercial fishing operations to higher fuel prices, informing future low carbon liquid fuel (LCLF) policy settings.
  • Participation in community events and support for media interest in the initiative by attendance of the P2X EXPRESS and H2Cuts display units at NSW DPIRD Fisheries Research Station open day and other seafood and educational events (e.g., Seafood Festival).

The activities in Stage 2 of the project will raise awareness by: 

  • Facilitating the demonstration and piloting of alternate green liquid fuels in a collaborator fishing fleet under normal operational fishing conditions at sea.
  • Creating opportunities for media involvement to communicate the transition to a broader audience.
  • Engaging with producers and their supply chain via attendance to industry events.

The Stage 2 outcomes are broader marine industry, community, political awareness and appreciation of opportunities for Australia to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors through the use of LCLFs produced through both biogenic and P2X pathways.

For more information, contact Michael Cashen, project lead, at michael.cashen@dpi.nsw.gov.au