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

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

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

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

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

Since 2008, the UK has actually needed fuel suppliers to include a growing proportion of sustainable products into the petrol and diesel they provide. These biofuels are mainly ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, used cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research brought out for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level suggests that UK vehicle drivers will have to pay an extra ₤ 460m a year since of the greater expense of fuel at the pump and from filling up more frequently as biofuels have a lower energy content.

The report say that if the UK is to satisfy its responsibilities to EU the cost to vehicle drivers is likely to rise to ₤ 1.3 bn per year by 2020.

“It is tough to discover any great news,” Rob Bailey, senior research study fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.

“Biofuels increase expenses and they are a very pricey method to minimize carbon emissions,” he stated.

The EU biofuel requireds are likewise having extremely distorting impacts in the market. Because used cooking oil is considered as among the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the rate for it has actually increased rapidly. Rob Bailey states that towards the end of 2012 it was more expensive than refined palm oil.

“It develops a financial reward to purchase refined palm oil, prepare a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and after that offer it at revenue,”

“It is crazy however the incentives exist.”

There are likewise worries that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in particular is producing more climate problems than it solves. The more fuel of this type that is put into automobiles the larger the deficit created in the edible oils market. This had lead to increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, typically produced on deforested land.

“Once you consider these indirect impacts, biofuels made from vegetable oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would obtain from using diesel in the very first place,” said Rob Bailey.

“Plus you are asking motorists to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is an entirely unreasonable technique.”

Biofuel benefits

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the industry, external throughout the EU, stated it was aware of the problems brought on by the mandate. But it believes that biofuels have lots of positives.

“Blaming biofuels for all the problems worldwide is a bit too exaggerated,” stated Isabelle Maurizi, project manager at the EBB.

“It has brought great deals of benefits. It has actually enhanced the security of our diesel