Australia lowers diesel standards in bid to increase supply as number of service stations running empty surges

Chris Bowen says move aimed at accessing fuel imports from markets with lower burning temperatures, including the US, Canada and Europe

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Australia’s diesel standards have been temporarily lowered as the federal government rushes to shore up fuel supply, with hundreds of service stations running empty and warnings deliveries from key Asian suppliers could slow as soon as early April.

The energy minister, Chris Bowen, said on Tuesday the government had lowered the technical threshold for diesel, known as the flashpoint, in order to access supply from imports from markets with marginally lower burning temperatures, including the US, Canada and Europe.