Biofuels: and 'even worse than nonrenewable fuel sources'

The UK's "unreasonable" usage of biofuels will cost motorists around ₤ 460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank says.

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

The author says that biodiesel made from vegetable oil was even worse for the environment than nonrenewable fuel sources.

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

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

Deep fried fuel

But research study performed for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level indicates that UK vehicle drivers will need to pay an extra ₤ 460m a year because of the greater cost of fuel at the pump and from filling more frequently as biofuels have a lower energy content.

The report say that if the UK is to meet its responsibilities to EU energy targets the expense to vehicle drivers is most likely to rise to ₤ 1.3 bn per annum by 2020.

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

"Biofuels increase costs and they are a very pricey method to lower carbon emissions," he stated.

The EU biofuel mandates are also having hugely distorting effects in the marketplace. Because utilized cooking oil is considered as one of the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the rate for it has risen quickly. Rob Bailey says that towards the end of 2012 it was more expensive than refined palm oil.

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

"It is insane however the incentives exist."

There are also worries that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in specific is developing more environment issues than it solves. The more fuel of this type that is put into vehicles the larger the deficit produced in the edible oils market. This had actually resulted in increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, typically produced on deforested land.

"Once you take into account these indirect impacts, biofuels made from vegetable oils really result worldwide in more emissions than you would obtain from utilizing diesel in the very first place," stated Rob Bailey.

"Plus you are asking vehicle drivers to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is a completely unreasonable technique."

Biofuel benefits

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the industry, external throughout the EU, stated it knew the problems triggered by the mandate. But it believes that biofuels have numerous positives.

"Blaming biofuels for all the problems on the planet is a bit too exaggerated," stated Isabelle Maurizi, job supervisor at the EBB.

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