eNews from Monday, August 18, 2008

Biofuels Fail to Meet Sustainability Criteria

New Scientist -- August 16, 2008 -- Biofuels have received another environmental black mark: a survey commissioned by the UK government found that 4 out of 5 litres supplied at British pumps failed to meet basic industry standards for sustainability.

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Manufacturers could not prove that their biofuel feedstock had not been grown by trashing rainforests or harming the livelihoods of poor farmers. Nor did they know where half of the biofuels in UK fuel tanks had been grown. UK charity Friends of the Earth have called it a "shocking admission".

Just over 2 per cent of the fuel used in UK vehicles is biofuel, and next month the European Union may decide on a 10 per cent target, to be achieved by 2020.

The survey, by the UK's Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA), also calculated the possible greenhouse emissions savings accrued by UK imports of biofuel feedstock according to its country of origin, where known. The direct benefits to the climate of substituting plant products for fossil fuels in the UK were lowest for widely used Brazilian soya oil, which saved only 10 per cent over conventional fuels.

Other biofuels fared better. Rapeseed oil from Europe and North America saved about 30 per cent, and palm oil from south-east Asia about 40 per cent. Brazilian sugar cane - fermented to make ethanol to replace petrol - saved about 70 per cent, while cooking oil and tallow from the UK, the US and elsewhere saved over 80 per cent.

The UK consumes little ethanol made from corn, a biofuel criticised for using more fossil fuel in its making than is saved by using it. But the agency warned that figures suggesting climatic benefits for other biofuels painted too rosy a picture, and could hide the fact that they too were doing more harm than good. This is because indirect environmental effects - such as emissions from the draining of peat swamps to grow palm oil in south-east Asia - are not being assessed.

Author: Staff

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Biofuels Fail to Meet Sustainability Criteria

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