Leading independent bulk liquid storage and handling company, Quantem has called for increased adoption of open access fuel storage to build the scale of low carbon liquid fuels and enhance Australia’s fuel supply chain resilience.
Presenting at the Renewable Fuels Summit today, Quantem’s Head of Strategy, Sustainability and Development, Kellie Larsen, said the majority of existing fuel storage infrastructure in Australia has historically been vertically integrated, owned by fuel companies and optimised for their own supply chains.
While this has delivered reliability and scale, Larsen said Australia’s future energy requirements, particularly in the transition to low carbon liquid fuels, would require greater adoption of open access and shared infrastructure as a complement to existing supply chains.
“Open access storage can lower capital barriers, support competition, and allow multiple fuels and pathways to develop in parallel with existing infrastructure,” she said.
“As low carbon liquid fuels emerge, this shared infrastructure model will also allow new producers, importers and blenders to access storage without duplicating assets.
“An open access model also improves resilience by providing flexibility and optionality across the system, particularly during periods of transition,” she said.
Larsen said Quantem’s current scoping study to build a greenfields renewables bulk liquid storage terminal at the Port of Portland in Victoria was a practical example of this approach. The project is being supported by the Victorian Government’s Portland Diversification Fund.
“The Portland region is uniquely positioned to support Australia’s decarbonisation strategy. With no existing common-user bulk liquid storage facilities, our study is focused on how a port side terminal can enable low carbon liquid fuel and feedstock supply chains over time. The intent is not a single user facility, but open access infrastructure that multiple projects can access as they mature.”
Larsen said strengthening open access to storage infrastructure was critical enabling infrastructure to support innovation and enhance the scale-up of diverse fuel supplies as part of Australia’s future energy transition.
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