EU Starting to U-Turn on Biofuels

The European Parliament has voted in favour of a revision of the Community objectives regarding the use of biofuels.

The proposal adopted by the commission, which was supported by the three main political groups, provides for greater use of renewable energy sources, using second-generation sources to the detriment of the first generation, whose ecological balance is being widely challenged.

They claim that the goal of using 10% of fuels from renewable energy in road transport by 2020 will be achieved but that 40% of that will come thanks to such sources of second generation fuels such as electricity and hydrogen rather than crop based biofuels.

The initial objective of 10% proposed by the European Commission is strongly criticized by groups supporting environmental protection.

Whereas the first generation biofuels are responsible for rising prices of raw food stuffs and encourage deforestation, the second generation fuels will not have a dramatic worldwide effect on basic food prices.

The European executive has so far remained vague about the proportion of first generation biofuels that should be used or indeed how much second second-generation fuels can be relied upon, as they are more “sustainable” but are currently in a developmental stage and yet to be truly realized.

The vote of the Committee on Industry is seen as very influential and was highly anticipated because it should be in a position to be eventually adopted by the European parliament in the process of “co-decision”.

The final negotiations between parliament and member states, which should lead to a redefinition of Community legislation on biofuels, is expected in late 2008 or early 2009.

In the UK the government seems to be ahead of Europe with advanced proposals to cut biofuel dependency.

The current use of biofuels is 2.5% and was expected to be raised to 5%, but it looks like the government will back-peddle on these proposals and will hold off on increasing the biofuel targets.