Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'even worse than nonrenewable fuel sources'

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

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

The author states that biodiesel made from veggie oil was worse for the environment 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 actually required fuel providers to include a growing percentage of sustainable materials into the petrol and diesel they provide. These biofuels are primarily ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, used cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research study carried out for Chatham House states that reaching the 5% level suggests that UK vehicle drivers will need to pay an additional ₤ 460m a year due to the fact that of the greater cost of fuel at the pump and from filling up more frequently as biofuels have a lower energy content.

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

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

"Biofuels increase costs and they are an extremely costly way to reduce carbon emissions," he stated.

The EU biofuel mandates are likewise having hugely distorting results in the market. Because utilized cooking oil is considered as among the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the price for it has actually increased rapidly. says that towards completion of 2012 it was more expensive than refined palm oil.

"It produces a financial reward to buy refined palm oil, cook a chip in it to turn it into utilized cooking oil and then sell it at earnings,"

"It is crazy but the incentives are there."

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

"Once you consider these indirect impacts, biofuels made from veggie oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would receive from using diesel in the very first location," stated Rob Bailey.

"Plus you are asking motorists to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is a completely illogical method."

Biofuel benefits

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the market, external throughout the EU, stated it understood the problems triggered by the required. But it thinks that biofuels have lots of positives.

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

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