Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'even worse than fossil fuels'


The UK's "irrational" use of biofuels will cost 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 vegetable oil was worse for the climate than nonrenewable fuel sources.


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


Since 2008, the UK has required fuel providers to add a growing percentage of sustainable products into the fuel and diesel they supply. These biofuels are mainly ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, utilized cooking oil and tallow.


Deep fried fuel


But research performed for Chatham House states that reaching the 5% level means that UK drivers will have to pay an extra _ 460m a year since of the greater expense of fuel at the pump and from filling more often as biofuels have a lower energy content.


The report say that if the UK is to satisfy its responsibilities to EU energy targets the cost to motorists is likely to increase to _ 1.3 bn per year by 2020.


"It is difficult to find any good news," Rob Bailey, senior research study fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.


"Biofuels increase costs and they are a very expensive way to reduce carbon emissions," he stated.


The EU biofuel requireds are likewise having hugely distorting effects in the market. Because used cooking oil is considered one of the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the price for it has actually risen rapidly. Rob Bailey says that towards the end of 2012 it was more costly than refined palm oil.


"It develops a monetary incentive to buy refined palm oil, cook a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and then offer it at revenue,"


"It is crazy however the rewards exist."


There are likewise worries that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in particular is creating more environment issues than it fixes. The more fuel of this type that is taken into cars and trucks the larger the deficit created in the edible oils market. This had resulted in increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, frequently produced on deforested land.


"Once you consider these indirect impacts, biofuels made from veggie oils in fact result worldwide in more emissions than you would receive from utilizing diesel in the very first place," said Rob Bailey.


"Plus you are asking vehicle 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, stated it understood the problems triggered by the mandate. But it believes that biofuels have lots of positives.


"Blaming biofuels for all the troubles on the planet is a bit too overstated," said Isabelle Maurizi, task supervisor at the EBB.


"It has brought great deals of advantages. It has enhanced the security of our diesel; it has actually minimized EU reliance 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 strikes the 5% of liquid fuels mark, the government faces some difficult decisions on how to move on on this issue as it deals with tripling the costs for motorists by 2020.


Insiders suggest its choice would be to attempt and get arrangement in Brussels on the effects of indirect expenses which may constrain what counts as biofuel. However getting arrangement from countries with powerful farming sectors who take advantage of the existing arrangement will be challenging.


"When you have a lobby which includes the farming sector and the oil sector it is extremely hard for Governments to make a U-turn," said Rob Bailey.


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