From cask to car, could red wine be Australia's next fuel?
Australia's wine industry is exploring the potential of using its surplus wine as a source of biofuel. With a current oversupply of 263 million liters of wine, experts suggest that distilling it could yield about 30 million liters of ethanol. This initiative aims to address both the surplus issue and the rising demand for alternative fuel sources.
- ▪Australia's wine industry is considering converting its 263 million liters of oversupply into biofuel.
- ▪Ethanol extracted from the wine through distillation could be used to power vehicles and aircraft.
- ▪The global consumption of wine has dropped to levels not seen since 1961, exacerbating the oversupply problem.
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Could wine provide Australia's next source of biofuel?By Timu KingABC RuralTopic:BiofuelSun 17 May 2026 at 7:30amSun 17 May 2026 at 7:30amSun 17 May 2026 at 7:30amWhile wine cannot be used as fuel, distilling it could provide a source of biofuel for cars. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Ed Gannon)In short: Australia's wine industry wants to use the oversupply of wine as a source of ethanol, which can be used as a biofuel or for other purposes such as hand sanitiser. The wine oversupply is a major headache for the industry and has been compounded by global consumption stagnating. What's next?Experts say the idea has merit.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).