POWER ALCOHOL

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 46, 22 February 1918, Page 7

POWER ALCOHOL

A SUBSTITUTE FOR PETROL. The question of the production and utilisation of alcohol for power purposes in Australia is being investigated by a special committee appointed by t.ho C om* *%m>nwealS* AB*tSbsJJK©«UßeU'Jt>f Science and Industry. As regards tbp production oi power ak-ohol the most suitable raw material is the supnr molaescs now ■wasted in Queensland. Bui even if the total annual quantity of molasses ■wasted and used for purposes other than distillation 147.50(1 tons) were used for the purposes in vipw it would only he sufficient to manufacture about 31 mil3ion gallons of alcohol, whereas the annual petrol requirements of Queensland alone are nearly 31 million gallons. Por these reasons it is necessary to consider whether some other profitable eource of supply cannot be found. The committee recommends that in order to develop the use o! alcohol for power purposes and to encourage the production of the raw material upon which the manufacture of powers-alcohol depends: — (1) The manufacture and use in Australia should be permitted of " poweralcohol " denatured with 2 per cent of these distillates. (2) That an allowance at the rate of 3d. per gallon be granted by the Commonwealth Government on " poweraleohol" denatured in the above manner and manufactured in Australia from raw materials produced in Australia, by way of reimbursement of the extra cost caused by fiscal restrictions on the manufacture of alcohol. (3) That a bonus, also at the rate of 3d. per gallon, be granted by the Commonwealth Government on such " poweralcohol " in order to encourage its manufacture and to develop the primary industries on which the supply of the necessary raw material depends.