Biodiesel from traditional sources may be more polluting than crude oil, leaked data shows
Sat 28 January 2012
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EurActiv has published leaked data from the European Commission which shows that much biodiesel produced from palm oil and soy beans is more polluting than emissions from conventional oil use after everything - including indirect land use change (iluc) - is taken into account. The leaked report also says that biofuels made from 'non-land using' sources such as straw and waste offer significantly more potential for cutting emissions.
The data is derived from a leaked EC report which is considering what level of carbon emissions each type of biofuel causes once burned.
The EU's scheme for certifying biofuels as sustainable requires them to emit 35% less CO2 than regular fuel, increasing to 60% by 2018. This would suggest that making biodiesel from palm oil, soy bean, rapeseed and sunflower oil is unlikely to fulfill the requirements.
Meanwhile, a German Government advisory body said that Germany should not increase imports of food to produce biofuels, because this could threaten the supply of food in developing countries.
"Even higher imports of agricultural commodities for bioenergy production should not be allowed to lead to an increase in world hunger," said Reinhard Huettl, chairman of the Bio Economic Council (quoted by Reuters). "Securing food supplies must have priority over expansion of bioenergy."
The council, an independent group which advises the government on ecological economic issues, called on Germany to review biofuel subsidies and undertake a more measured consumption of bioenergy, avoiding simultaneous expansion of uses in vehicle fuels, power and heating.
Ten agencies, including the World Bank and World Food Programme, last June called on governments to scrap policies to support biofuels, saying they force up food prices.
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