A mixed energy future is at the centre of a new roadmap for Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors, outlining how producers can adapt to changing energy markets and technologies.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Energy Transition Roadmap (2026–2036), released by AgriFutures Australia, highlights both the challenges and opportunities facing primary producers.
The report finds electrification is expected to expand in fixed operations such as irrigation, sheds and processing. However, liquid fuels, including emerging alternatives like biofuels will remain essential for heavy machinery, transport, forestry and fishing.
Despite this shift, the research shows many enabling conditions for large-scale change are not yet in place. Constraints in regional infrastructure, grid capacity, supply chains, policy settings and workforce capability mean producers are currently managing much of the complexity of the transition.
The Roadmap looks beyond individual technologies to the broader systems shaping on-farm decision-making, including infrastructure, policy and tax settings.
AgriFutures Australia Managing Director Brianna Casey AM said energy is now a key factor in how farm businesses operate and plan.
“Energy is no longer just an input cost, it is shaping decisions about investment, diversification and how businesses remain productive into the future,” she said.
She pointed to global instability, including conflict in the Middle East, as an example of how energy supply and costs are becoming less predictable.
“The roadmap reinforces the need for coordinated action to support practical and sustainable change,” Ms Casey said.
The Roadmap draws on input from across industry, government and the energy sector, aiming to identify where the transition is already underway and where barriers remain.
It also highlights renewable fuels, particularly biofuels, as a priority for further research, especially in sectors where electrification is difficult.
Future work will examine barriers to large-scale biofuel production, including regulation, transport, feedstocks and investment.
The Roadmap is designed to support coordination across the sector and aligns with Australia’s Net Zero Plan and Agriculture and Land Sector Plan.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Energy Transition Roadmap (2026–2036) is available on the AgriFutures Australia website.
