MPs and EU head-to-head over transport biofuels
In a damning report published yesterday, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee concluded that although "biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transport... most first generation biofuels have a detrimental impact on the environment overall." Taking evidence from over 20 experts and 35 organisations, the enquiry found most transport biofuels not to be an effective use of bio-resources, in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions or cost-effectiveness.
The Committee also recommended that the UK Government should seek to change the EU Biofuels Directive which stipulates that biofuels (such as bioethanol and biodiesel) must comprise 10% of transport fuels by 2020. Complying with the Directive, the UK has set an intermediate target of 5% biofuels in petrol and diesel by 2010, which it is implementing through its Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), due to come into force in April. Halting EU policy would require a moratorium on current targets until improvements in fuel production technology and international sustainability standards were agreed.
As reported in the Guardian today, the EU has been quick to refute the House of Commons report and stated it would stick to the agreed mandatory biofuel targets. In an unusually strong criticism of the Commons committee, Andris Piebalgs, the EU commissioner for energy, insisted that transport biofuels should continue to be supported as the "most immediately feasible way" of reversing transport greenhouse gas emissions. "The [European] Commission strongly disagrees with the conclusion of the British House of Commons report," said Piebalgs.
This head-to-head between UK MPs and the EU regarding transport biofuels takes place just as the EC prepares to unveil its European Climate Change Policy. José Manuel Barroso, the commission chief, will today reveal how each of the EU Member States are to contribute to the shared goal of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Although the report has yet to be published, the likelihood is that the EU’s ability to cut carbon emissions will be severely limited if the transport biofuels are found not to offer significant greenhouse gas reductions, or if the Biofuels Directive is repealed.
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| Bioshuttles view |
Bioshuttles idea on biodiesel,is that it should be treated as a local community fuel and made from 30-50% of local waste oils and 50%-70% from locally produced vegetable oils.Within the U.K. farms crisis,a lots of local farmers are struggling,because supermarkets are imposing absurd prices and there is a lack of support from government ,so they could find a new way to survive.Supporting ,also, the traditional farming way of life.
Biodiesel should become a local fuel for local people.This will be the most sustainable way to produce renewable fuels in the future and that's why national government and big corporates don't want to develop further this technology.At Bioshuttles we will start to produce our local fuel soon (biodiesel) to transport local people in a rural area that needs environmental protection.
Do we really need to produce our biofuels in developing countries?
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| What green car? view |
WhatGreenCar?,welcomes the expert debate regarding biofuels, but is bemused by the generalisation and omissions within the Environmental Audit Committee’s report ‘Are biofuels sustainable?’. Statements indicating that ‘most biofuels’ are environmental detrimental are almost meaningless given the large range of fuels referred to as ‘biofuels’. For example, whereas most analysts agree that bioethanol produced from US corn actually increases life cycle environmental impacts, biomethane (or biogas) made from biowaste can reduce life cycle greenhouse gas emissions and overall environmental impact. In particular, even according to data published in the Audit Committee’s report, transport biodiesel made from waste vegetable oils (WVOs) provide significant environmental benefits (including climate change impact reductions).
Given the agreed benefits of some biofuels, it seems strange that some of the most promising options were not included in the Committee’s report. Both current WVO biodiesel and ‘second generation’ biofuels (that are able to convert the plant cellulose and lignin into biofuel) were not considered in detail by the Committee. While WVO fuels may only ever be a community based industry, why not increase Government support for DIYers who want to make a valuable contribution to cutting their transport CO2 emissions? Rather than just alert policy makers to the danger of over-reliance on first generation biofuels, the Committee’s findings should be used to argue for a significant increase in UK R&D spending on second-generation biofuel research – while will still have time to develop low carbon transport fuels.
Source:WhatGreenCar?
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| Where to buy |
The availability of 5% biodiesel is becoming common now as the government’s Road Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) requires that the UK has 5% of biofuels across the nation soon. The RTFO has within it measures to ensure that all oil is sustainable sourced. This is to be welcomed and hopefully will evolve to have even stricter controls and lead to higher blends across the nation later.
The Main Environmental Advantage is that Biodiesel is carbon neutral, so using 100% Biodiesel in your vehicle means you are not adding to the global warming crisis. Biodiesel does not add any carbon because it utilises the amount of carbon which naturally circulates between the atmosphere and the biosphere (photosynthesis). Conventional fossil diesel however, does add to the overall level of carbon by extracting carbon deposited in the geosphere (mineral deposits) and releasing it into the atmosphere. Unlike any other available and easily accessible fuel at this time Biodiesel also has the potential of being 100% carbon neutral in its lifecycle too.
www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk
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| Cars ok on biodiesel |
Biodiesel, in theory, can go into all diesel engines as the diesel engine itself was designed to run on plant oil. However it is the parts attached to the diesel engine which could potentially cause problems – although the vast majority of diesels on the road are fine running on 100% biodiesel. In reality, the rule of thumb is you can use 100% biodiesel in any diesel built between 1990-2004, but be aware that a one-off fuel filter change will be needed after you first make the transition (and any mix of biodiesel and fossil diesel is OK too). I would recommend that cars built after 2004 should run on a 50% blend not 100%. Be aware too that biodiesel made from waste cooking oil will freeze in winter and so from November to April one should blend that kind of Biodiesel at 50% as well. However, Biodiesel made from a Rapeseed crop (RME) will not freeze and can be used at 100% all year round in the UK. Please note that it is advisable to purchase biodiesel with EN14214 specification, that gives you some guarantee of quality. In short – to be safe, use RME Biodiesel at EN14214 in a car built between 1990 and 2004 and then you can be carbon neutral all year without problems!
In terms of official compatibility, despite the majority of diesel vehicles on the road being fine on 100%, only a handful of companies will officially approve their vehicles for 100% use. The companies that have approved 100% biodiesel are VW, Audi, SEAT and Skoda. They have approved all their cars built between 1996 and 2004 on 100% use of ”RME” Biodiesel (Biodiesel made from Rapeseed) providing it meets the specification DIN41606 (which was later replaced by EN14214). These companies can still provide some brand new cars warranted on 100% biodiesel but one has to request it (best to get the official letter from German Base as some UK agents aren’t fully aware). As these companies have officially approved 100% biodiesel I urge you to use your consumer power to support them in supporting the environmental movement
www.biodieselfillingstations.co.uk
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| Biodiesel standards |
There are three existing specification standards for diesel & Biodiesel fuels (EN590, DIN 51606 & EN14214).
EN590 (actually EN590:2000) describes the physical properties that all diesel fuel must meet if it is to be sold in the EU, Czech Republic, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. It allows the blending of up to 5% Biodiesel with 'normal' DERV - a 95/5 mix. In some countries such as France, all diesel sold routinely contains this 95/5 mix.
DIN 51606 is a German standard for Biodiesel, is considered to be the highest standard currently existing, and is regarded by almost all vehicle manufacturers as evidence of compliance with the strictest standards for diesel fuels. The vast majority of Biodiesel produced commercially meets or exceeds this standard.
EN14214 EN14214 is the standard for biodiesel now having recently been finalized by the European Standards organisation CEN. It is broadly based on DIN 51606.
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