The $A5 million Synfuel and Catalysis Research Facility (SynCat) has been developed to enhance Australia’s energy security by providing research into synthetic fuels and new gas-to liquid technologies, which have the potential to both lessen Australia’s dependence on imports and provide a cleaner burning transport fuel alternative.

Federal Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson said “Testing and research at this facility could help us maximise the potential from our abundant gas resources, including the conversion of both on and offshore resources that were previously considered to be uneconomical.”

The SynCat facility is part of the CSIRO’s Gas Processing and Conversion research program, which is looking for ways to make synthetic fuel from non-oil or non-conventional feedstocks.

It will produce synfuels from a range of feedstocks including natural gas. The facility can run unmanned for months at a time and the two reactor rigs can test at temperatures of up to 450 degrees.

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The Federal Government said its action to price carbon will create greater market opportunities for lower emissions fuels and the work undertaken at SynCat could deliver the technological solutions needed to capitalise on this potential.