Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'even worse than fossil fuels'

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

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

The author states that biodiesel made from vegetable oil was worse for the environment than fossil fuels.

Under EU law, external, biofuels are set to comprise 5% of the UK's transportation fuel from today.

Since 2008, the UK has actually needed fuel providers to include a growing percentage of sustainable materials into the fuel and diesel they supply. These biofuels are mainly ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, used cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research study performed for Chatham House states that reaching the 5% level means that UK motorists will need to pay an extra ₤ 460m a year since 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 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 great news," Rob Bailey, senior research fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.

"Biofuels increase costs and they are a really costly method to minimize carbon emissions," he said.

The EU biofuel requireds are likewise having hugely distorting results in the marketplace. Because used cooking oil is considered one of the most sustainable kinds of biodiesel, the rate for it has actually risen rapidly. Rob Bailey states that towards completion of 2012 it was more pricey than refined palm oil.

"It develops a monetary incentive to purchase refined palm oil, prepare a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and then offer it at profit,"

"It is crazy however the rewards exist."

There are likewise frets that taking EU land out of production to oil in specific is developing more environment problems than it resolves. The more fuel of this type that is put into vehicles the bigger the deficit produced in the edible oils market. This had actually resulted in increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, often produced on deforested land.

"Once you take into consideration these indirect impacts, biofuels made from veggie oils really result worldwide in more emissions than you would receive from utilizing diesel in the very first location," stated Rob Bailey.

"Plus you are asking drivers to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is an entirely illogical technique."

Biofuel advantages

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the market, external across the EU, said it knew the issues caused by the mandate. But it believes that biofuels have many positives.

"Blaming biofuels for all the difficulties in the world is a bit too exaggerated," stated Isabelle Maurizi, job supervisor at the EBB.

"It has brought lots of advantages. It has improved the security of our diesel