State science company Scion is currently researching the possibility that radiata pines be used as a bio-ethanol crop.
If feasible, this would be great news for both the New Zealand economy and the developing world.
One of the big criticisms of bio-ethanol as an alternative fuel source is that bio-fuel crops, such as corn and rapeseed, use up good quality arable land that could be used for growing essential food crops.
For example, corn prices are increasing in central American markets due to the conversion of arable land for growing bio-fuel crops.
Radiata pines however, do not need good arable land and can be grown in poor coastal and hill country soils.
In many cases they provide an important environmental function in terms of helping reduce erosion in step hill country with erratic rainfall levels.
As a country which does not produce any of its own petroleum, and which has to import most of its fuel needs from the distant suppliers in the Middle East, it would be both environmentally and economically preferable for New Zealand to supply some of its own fuel requirements.
