Meat power for Mobil biodiesel 

Mobil has become the first petrol company to sell a biodiesel blend at the pump.

The blend of 5% biodiesel and 95% ordinary mineral diesel has gone on sale as a trial in the Bay of Plenty.

The biodiesel in Mobil's blend is sourced from tallow - a by-product of meat processing.

The government says the move is a step in the right direction for renewable transport energy.

In 2007, Gull Petroleum introduced Gull Force 10, a 90% gasoline and 10% bioethanol blend.

Another renewable biofuel choice may soon be on offer if an application to allow E85 - an 85% ethanol blend with 15% petrol - is approved by the Environmental Risk Management Authority.

"The approval paves the way for flex-fuel cars, which cost little or no more than ordinary petrol vehicles, to be introduced into New Zealand,"  says  Energy and Resources Minister Gerry Brownlee.

Transport makes up nearly half New Zealand's energy use (44%) but only 0.7% of the sector's energy use is renewable.

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