MOTOR FUEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 43, 20 February 1941, Page 6

MOTOR FUEL

PROBLEM OF SUPPLY PLANS IN AUSTRALIA SYDNEY, Feb. 13. Plans are afoot to produce motor fuels in Australia to supplement petrol stocks, imports of which have been curtailed to conserve non-steri-ing exchange, and to prepare against any possible interference to seaborne supplies. The greatest prospect of achieving this aim is the manufacture of power alcohol, chiefly from sugar-cane, but also from sugar beet, potatoes, surplus fruit and wheat, cassava, nipa and sago palm. The Power Alcohol Committee, set up by the Commonwealth Government last year, has made arrangements to have the entire Australian output of molasses set aside for producing power alcohol. The committee hopes that sufficient plant Io treat the molasses will be in operation early this year. The total petrol requirements of Australia amount to 350,000,000 gallons a year, but even if war conditions made it impossible to export Australian surplus sugar, the maximum annual output of power alcohol from sugar would be 50,000,000 gallons. Power alcohol can be used in existing motor vehicles only in blend with petrol, the blend containing a maximum of 20 per cent, of power alcohol. The saving of one-seventh of the petrol requirements would not be nearly enough for bare defence needs, but it would represent a considerable saving in imported supplies. Benzol From Coal Gas The New South Wales Government has given a lead to other States byencouraging the production of benzol from coal gas, and the necessary legislation to permit the calorific value of coal gas to be lowered is being prepared. The public have been assured that this will not affect the quality of gas for household use or raise the price, as an increase in the pressure of gas in the pipes will prevent any lowering of heating efficiency, an! charges are made on heat values and not on the amount consumed. The total production of tienzol in Australia would approximate 8,000,000 gallons a year. It is possible to use an equal proportion of benzol to petrol with satisfactory results. Australia's petrol difficulties would be solved if the invention of a Sydney man. Mr. G. A. Luckman, could do what he claims for it. Mr. Buckman says he has invented a process to manufacture power' alcohol from sago. With proper facilities to exploit 500 square miles of sago palms in Papua he estimates that 400,000.000 gallons of spirit could be produced annually at a cost, of 8d a gallon. A request, by a Sydney business group for permission to raise capital to 'start production was injected by the ' Commonwealth Government. ■ Pooling Scheme Under Consideration The Commonwealth Government is considering a scheme to substitute a petrol pool for lhe existing cartel. The cartel provides for quotas under which each company is given the I same proportion of sales in Australia ! as it. had in the twelve months before I the introduction of the scheme. How- ; ever, when petrol rationing was introI duced independent companies found I that they were unable under their I quotas to fulfil big Government contracts, although they had ample sup- ’ plies. The pool scheme is being oppose ! by the big oil companies on th.? grounds that they would lose goodwill and sales and the advantage of the distribution organisation that they have built up over years of trading.