Renewable Fuels Agency issues first quarterly report on biofuels
Wed 08 October 2008
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The Renewable Fuels Agency has published its first quarterly report on biofuels supplied to the UK market. In the first quarter of the year to April 2009, biofuels accounted for 2.61% of the total road transport fuel supplied to the market. More biodiesel (84%) has been supplied than bioethanol (16%). The report discloses company-specific sustainability and carbon information for the biofuels sold in the UK.
Under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), fossil fuel companies are obliged to supply 2.5 per cent biofuel in UK road fuel in the year to April 2009. The target for sustainability (i.e. meeting a qualifying environmental standard) is 30% over the reporting year. Currently, only 20 per cent of biofuels meet these standards. Virtually all of the fuel reported as coming from UK feedstocks met environmental sustainability standards. The reports are based on a carbon and sustainability reporting methodology which was developed by the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.
The sustainability standards cover the preservation of carbon stores, the preservation of biodiversity, and the impact of biofuel plantations and processing on air, water and soil quality. An RFA spokesman Chris Malins, reported by the Business Green website, said that although only 20 per cent of biofuels suppliers were meeting the sustainability criteria, with growing numbers of biofuel plantations gaining the sustainability accreditation, the Government's 30 per cent target for the full year is achievable.
The RFA says that it has been able collect 61 per cent of the data it required from biofuel providers across four categories – feedstock, country of origin, whether or not sustainability standards were met, and how land-use was affected – exceeding the Government's 50 per cent target.
Harvest Energy and Mabanaft are reported as having exceeded the current sustainability target but some companies reported low levels of carbon savings, including Chevron and ConocoPhillips. Several companies including BP, Esso, Murco, Prax and Topaz have so far failed to report any biofuels as meeting the qualifying environmental standard. Of these, Prax and Topaz have also failed to report the origin of their biofuels. Esso, Petroplus, Prax and Topaz are currently failing to meet any of the three targets set by Government.
Chris Malins defended the performance of companies which have yet to supply any data on sustainable biofuels, claiming that they were likely to meet sustainability targets as supplies of certified biofuels increase.
"There are limitations on the amount of certified feedstock available at the moment, but the vision is that the targets will help drive a market for these feedstocks," he said. "The fact that some firms haven't met the targets yet is to be expected."
Malins said that the demand for more detailed data was driving improvements in biofuel traceability across the market and while the sustainability targets are only voluntary, the industry is committed to meeting them. "There is a feeling the sustainability targets will be made mandatory, most likely in April 2010 as part of the EU Renewable Energy Directive, so biofuel suppliers understand that it makes sense to start doing this now," he said.
Meanwhile, the Department for Transport has announced a new consultation on biofuels. The consultation seeks views on the Government's proposal that the rate of increase of the UK's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) should be slowed down so that it increases by 0.5% per annum to reach 5% in 2013/14. It also seeks views on the addition of new eligible fuels and longer term issues with regard to the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive. The closing date for responses is 17 December. For more information, see the associated link.
Since the quarterly report was published, it was announced that a drafting error in the RTFO Order was identified and the RFA has issued revised instructions to suppliers regarding fuel types. The Department for Transport are proposing to revise the Order to correct this discrepancy and the Agency is working closely with them and with suppliers to minimise any inconvenience.
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