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

The UK's "irrational" use of will cost drivers around ₤ 460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank states.

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

The author says that biodiesel made from veggie 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 actually needed fuel suppliers to add a growing percentage of sustainable products into the gas and diesel they supply. These biofuels are primarily ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, utilized cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research brought out for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level means that UK drivers will have to pay an additional ₤ 460m a year due to the fact that of the higher cost of fuel at the pump and from filling more frequently as biofuels have a lower energy material.

The report say that if the UK is to fulfill its commitments to EU energy targets the cost to motorists is most likely to increase to ₤ 1.3 bn per annum by 2020.

"It is difficult to discover any good news," Rob Bailey, senior research study fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.

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

The EU biofuel mandates are also having hugely distorting results in the marketplace. Because utilized cooking oil is regarded as among the most sustainable types of biodiesel, the cost for it has increased quickly. Rob Bailey states that towards completion of 2012 it was more expensive than refined palm oil.

"It creates a financial reward to purchase refined palm oil, prepare a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and after that offer it at revenue,"

"It is crazy however the incentives are there."

There are likewise frets that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in specific is producing more environment issues than it fixes. The more fuel of this type that is taken into cars the larger the deficit developed in the edible oils market. This had actually caused increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, often produced on deforested land.

"Once you take into consideration these indirect results, biofuels made from vegetable oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would obtain from utilizing diesel in the first location," said Rob Bailey.

"Plus you are asking motorists to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is an entirely irrational strategy."

Biofuel advantages

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the market, external across the EU, stated it knew the problems caused by the required. But it believes that biofuels have numerous positives.

"Blaming biofuels for all the troubles on the planet is a bit too overstated," stated Isabelle Maurizi, project manager at the EBB.

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