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Australian renewable agency fund excludes some biofuels
Australian renewable agency fund excludes some biofuels
Sydney, 3 February (Argus) — The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (Arena) has released the structure of its updated low-carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) funding round under the Future Made in Australia (FMA) innovation fund, with a narrower fuel scope that excludes biodiesel, biomethane, hydrogen and ammonia-based fuels from eligibility. Under the A$250mn ($174mn) LCLF fund's 2026 technology focus areas, Arena will only support projects producing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), renewable diesel (RD) and methanol, describing these as having the highest innovation potential and strongest market demand in hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation, long-haul freight, mining and maritime transport. Projects "developing or using biodiesel, biomethane, hydrogen and/or ammonia as the end product are not under consideration", the agency said, marking a departure from earlier Arena bioenergy programmes, which allowed broader feedstock and fuel pathways. The A$250mn fund, part of the government's wider A$1.5bn FMA fund, includes capital support for commercial-scale SAF and RD plants, alongside grants for pre-commercial demonstrations and feedstock development. The new programme also introduces dedicated funding for supply chain enablement and biogenic feedstock trials, areas not previously supported at this scale. Separately, the Australian government will spend A$1.1bn to support the production of LCLF in Australia. Arena's updated framework emphasises deployment rather than early stage research and development, with commercial project grants of up to A$50mn and mandatory alignment with sustainability schemes such as Corsia and the forthcoming national Guarantee of Origin system. More than 70 stakeholders participated in the consultation process ahead of changes to funding eligibility, with Arena citing strong demand for SAF and RD projects and emerging interest in e-methanol for shipping. By Tom Woodlock Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia pledges $42mn to boost EV sales
Australia pledges $42mn to boost EV sales
Sydney, 3 February (Argus) — The federal government of Australia will spend $A60mn ($42mn) to subsidise loans for electric vehicles (EVs), in a bid to increase the uptake of lower-emissions cars. Money allocated by the federally-funded agency Clean Energy Finance (CEFC) will go towards subsidising interest rates for new EVs available for purchase through Hyundai Capital Australia, an arm of the South Korean carmaker, energy minister Chris Bowen said on 3 February. Discounts of 0.5-1pc will be offered for loans on eligible Hyundai- and Kia-branded EVs, with a 1pc discount on a A$70,000 loan over five years cutting A$1,900 in interest costs, Bowen said. Transport remains a major source of Australia's emissions, with 98.7mn t of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in the year to 30 June 2025, or 22.5pc of total emissions of 437.5mn t . Canberra's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) is taxing manufacturers based on CO2e emissions , which it projects is likely to drive up EV sales. But transport emissions rose by 0.3pc to 98.7mn t CO2 equivalent (CO2e) in 2024-25 on the back of a rise in diesel consumption for road transport and jet fuel demand. A ban on new gasoline and diesel registrations may be needed to reach a goal of 50pc of new car sales being EVs by 2030 to drive down emissions, industry body the EV Council has said. But 2025 was a record for EV sales, with 156,000 purchased. But about one-third were plug-in hybrid vehicles which can also run on gasoline or diesel. The NVES has provided policy certainty and increased availability of EVs in Australia but has so far had little effect on EV demand, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has said. FCAI data show just 8.3pc of new vehicle sales were battery EVs last year. Australia's fuel tax rebate scheme has also been targeted by lobbyists demanding it be capped to reduce diesel demand , but industry insists that the road-user tax should not apply to businesses not using public infrastructure. Australia's gasoline sales are dipping. Gasoline sales averaged 271,000 b/d for January-November 2025, compared with 278,000 b/d during January-November 2024 and 276,000 b/d during January-November 2023, according to data from Australian Petroleum Statistics. Consumption was 298,000 b/d for the same period in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Brazil petchem industry flags Reiq 2026 gap
Brazil petchem industry flags Reiq 2026 gap
Sao Paulo, 2 February (Argus) — Brazilian chemical and petrochemical industry associations are urging the federal government to deliver a rapidfix for the 2026 gap in the Special Chemical Industry Regime (Reiq), warning that regulatory uncertainty is accelerating plant shutdowns and job losses across key production hubs. In a joint letter sent on 26 January to vice-president and industry minister Geraldo Alckmin, labor unions and industry groups — including Abiquim — said presidential vetoes affecting Reiq in December by removing key tax-relief provisions and carried into the newly enacted Special Sustainability Program for the Chemical Industry (Presiq), which focuses on the national petrochemical chain modernization,have created an "immediate and severe" impact on domestic producers, mainly due to the sudden loss of a long-standing cost-reduction tool with no transitional safeguards. Companies in Sao Paulo state have already closed units and cut shifts in Cubatao and Guaruja, according to the groups. Industry groups argue that without the Reiq tax relief, historically centered on PIS/Cofins reductions for feedstocks such as naphtha and natural gas and effectively revoked by the presidential vetoes — Brazil's chemical chain faces intensified competitive pressure from global oversupply, foreign subsidy schemes and aggressive pricing from Asian and Middle Eastern exporters. The regulatory gap is prompting irreversible divestment decisions, threatening the core of Brazil's petrochemical complex, they say. The entities called on the Ministry of Development, Industry, Trade and Services (Mdic) to restore predictability for 2026, saying the issue is no longer a tax debate but a strategic decision for Brazil's industrial competitiveness and employment base. The government has recently highlighted industrial policy priorities through its New Brazil Industry program and strengthened trade-defense tools, but the signatories said action on the Reiq must come "urgently, preferably in January," to avoid further disruption. History President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva vetoed provisions in December 2025 that would have extended Reiq benefits into 2026 or ensured an automatic transition to the Presiq framework. The administration cited fiscal responsibility and the absence of compensatory budget measures. With Presiq scheduled to begin only in 2027, the vetoes leave a regulatory gap in 2026. By Isabela Mendes Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US Jan factory activity growth 1st in a year
US Jan factory activity growth 1st in a year
Houston, 2 February (Argus) — Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector expanded in January for the first time in a year, as new orders and production surged following 26 months of contraction for the factory segment. The manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 52.6 in January, up from 47.9 in December, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). Readings above 50 signal growth while readings below that level signify contraction. The January reading was the highest since February 2022, and the first expansion reading since January 2025. ISM's new manufacturing orders index rose to 57.1 in January from 47.4 in December, while the production index rose to 55.9 from 50.7. New export orders rose to 50.2 from 46.8 in December. Imports rose to 50 from 44.6. President Donald Trump's heavy use of tariffs in the past year to wrest trade and other concessions from trading partners, allies and adversaries alike, has skewed trade flows, corporate planning and investment decisions, especially among manufacturers. "Confused and uninformed tariff policies continue to plague small companies, making long-term planning pointless," a fabricated metal products executive said in comments in the survey. "Companies are not making capital commitments beyond 30 days." While the January results show signs of improvement, underlying conditions continue to be troubling, according to other survey respondents. "Business conditions remain soft as we continue to miss sales, orders and profits as result of increased costs from tariffs, continued fallout from the government shutdown, and increased global uncertainty," a miscellaneous manufacturing executive said. The employment index rose to 48.1 in January, signaling a slowing pace of contraction, from 44.8 in December. The price index edged higher to 59 from 58.5. The inventories index rose to 47.6 in January from 45.7, signaling diminishing pace of contraction. Order backlogs rose to 51.6 from 45.8. Services, the largest part of the economy, expanded in December, marking a tenth month of expansion, according to ISM's December survey. ISM will report the services PMI in two days By Bob Willis Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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