Irish Regions Office Website

September 17, 2008

Biofuels downgraded by EP

The perceived unsustainability of biofuels – given concerns over food prices and shortages and deforestation – as the solution to renewable energy needs received further impetus when a recent European Parliament Industry, Research & Energy (ITRE) Committee report curbed their contribution to transport fuel needs as proposed in the Commission’s draft renewable energy directive.
The binding 5% by 2015 and 10% by 2020 renewables in transport targets were maintained but the parliamentary Industry Committee specified that 40% of this amount should come from sources not linked to food production: second-generation biofuels (e.g. derived from leaves, tree bark, or woodchips), green electricity and renewable hydrogen. Additionally, ‘traditional’ biofuels such as ethanol or biodiesel would only count towards the target provided they could guarantee meeting much stricter social and environmental sustainability criteria than originally envisaged such as guaranteeing local community land rights and providing carbon emission savings.
The committee is further demanding that a full review of the whole EU biofuel promotion policy and its social and environmental impacts be carried out in 2014 to determine whether the targets need revising.
Contact the IRO for a copy of the EP Report.

Posted by iroronan at September 17, 2008 06:53 PM