Biofuels: ‘Irrational’ and ‘even Worse than Nonrenewable Fuel Source’

Biofuels: ‘Irrational’ and ‘worse than nonrenewable fuel sources’

The UK’s “unreasonable” use of biofuels will cost vehicle drivers around ₤ 460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank states.

A report by Chatham House, external says the growing dependence on sustainable liquid fuels will likewise increase food costs.

The author says that biodiesel made from grease was even worse for the climate than nonrenewable fuel sources.

Under EU law, external, biofuels are set to make up 5% of the UK’s transportation fuel from today.

Since 2008, the UK has needed fuel providers to include a growing percentage of sustainable materials into the fuel and diesel they provide. These biofuels are primarily ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, used cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research study performed for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level suggests that UK vehicle drivers will have to pay an extra ₤ 460m a year because of the greater cost of fuel at the pump and from filling regularly as biofuels have a lower energy content.

The report state that if the UK is to satisfy its responsibilities to EU energy targets the expense to drivers is most likely to increase to ₤ 1.3 bn per year by 2020.

“It is difficult to find any good news,” Rob Bailey, senior research fellow at Chatham House, informed BBC News.

“Biofuels increase costs and they are a very expensive method to reduce carbon emissions,” he stated.

The EU biofuel mandates are likewise having extremely distorting results in the market. Because used cooking oil is considered among the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the rate for it has risen quickly. Rob Bailey says that towards the end of 2012 it was more pricey than refined palm oil.

“It develops a monetary incentive to purchase refined palm oil, cook a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and after that offer it at profit,”

“It is insane but the rewards exist.”

There are likewise worries that taking EU land out of production to oil in specific is creating more environment issues than it fixes. The more fuel of this type that is taken into vehicles the bigger the deficit developed in the edible oils market. This had actually caused increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, typically produced on deforested land.

“Once you take into account these indirect impacts, biofuels made from veggie oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would get from using diesel in the first place,” said Rob Bailey.

“Plus you are asking drivers to pay more for the fuel – it makes no sense, it is a completely illogical technique.”

Biofuel advantages

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the market, external throughout the EU, said it knew the issues triggered by the mandate. But it believes that biofuels have many positives.

“Blaming biofuels for all the problems on the planet is a bit too overstated,” said Isabelle Maurizi, job manager at the EBB.

“It has actually brought lots of benefits. It has actually enhanced the security of our diesel; it has actually decreased EU dependency on animal feed imports, thanks to the rapeseed we grow for biodiesel.”

“If there was no biodiesel farmers would simply make their land idle – no food, no feed!”

As the UK hits the 5% of liquid fuels mark, the government deals with some tough decisions on how to move forward on this issue as it faces tripling the expenses for vehicle drivers by 2020.

Insiders recommend its choice would be to attempt and get contract in Brussels on the effects of indirect costs which might constrain what counts as biofuel. However getting arrangement from nations with powerful farming sectors who take advantage of the current plan will be challenging.

“When you have a lobby that includes the farming sector and the oil sector it is very difficult for Governments to make a U-turn,” stated Rob Bailey.

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