(Canberra Times) 12/01/2002 - THE head of Australia's peak motoring grouphas called on the heavy vehicle industry to adopt the use of biodiesel inplace of petrol-based fuels.NRMA motoring and services chief executive Rob Carter said industries suchas trucking and bus transport had a responsibility to help reducegreenhouse gas emissions by switching from standard diesel to biodieselwith no ill effects on machinery.Biodiesel is a plant extract produced from crops like canola. It can besubstituted for standard petrol-based diesel without modifications todiesel engines.'Wider use of biodiesel would reduce Australia's dependence on crude oilas a fuel source and would provide an alternative crop for Australianfarmers,' Mr Carter said.'The whole process from paddock to tailpipe can be greenhouse neutral,which means it does not contribute to global warming.' Mr Carter saidtests had shown no adverse impact from using biodiesel and severalAustralian and overseas transport companies had already proved the fuelcould be an effective substitute.However, Australian Trucking Association deputy chief executive MichaelApps said cost remained the biggest deterrent to using alternative fuelslike biodiesel.'Our industry is willing to use any fuel, but it has to be cost-effectiveand available,' Mr Apps said.He said modern sulphur-reduced clean diesel, due to be introducednationally on January 1, was as environmentally friendly as canola-basedfuel and would be sufficient until the introduction of hydrogen-basedfuel-cell technology.By Scott Hannaford