Evaluating the Sustainability of the Eu Policy: “by 2020, 10% of Transport Fuel in the Eu Should Be Supplied from Biofuels”
Evaluating the sustainability of the EU policy: “By 2020, 10% of transport fuel in the EU should be supplied from Biofuels”
Introduction:
The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive (RED) required a 10% share of renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020; biofuels must emit a minimum of 35% less greenhouse gases (GHG) than the fossil fuels they replace, increasing to 50% for existing plants in 2017 and 60% for new infrastructure thereafter. The Fuel Quality Directive, setting a target of a 6% GHG reduction for fuels used in the transport sector in 2020. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1112_en.htm
Biofuels are a liquid or gaseous fuel sourced directly from biological materials (biomass)(Mol, APJ 2007) http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/energy/renewable_energy/l28175_en.htm Fig 1 conveying the typical sources, conversion techniques and type of biofuel product created.
First generation biofuels are classed as crops with readily accessible sugar, starches and or oils as their feedstock i.e. food crops (corn, maize, rapeseed, sugarcane) and second generation biofuels are feedstock’s that consist of lignocellulosic biomass (agricultural and forest production wastes: corn stalks, straw, switch grass) www.dnv.com
On the 17/10/12, the European Commission published a proposal to raise the climate benefits of biofuels and to acknowledge and limit global land conversion for biofuel production in the EU. The use of first generation biofuels has been limited to 5%; enabling stimulation towards the development of second generation biofuels needed to fulfil the outstanding 5%.
Biofuels have become an incendiary issue recently with the environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts bringing more awareness to its development. Influencing factors such as, food vs. fuel, renewable energy regulations, technological advancement and funding, energy security vs. energy price (oil price increase), taxes and tariffs, trade distortion and traceability
Introduction:
The 2009 Renewable Energy Directive (RED) required a 10% share of renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020; biofuels must emit a minimum of 35% less greenhouse gases (GHG) than the fossil fuels they replace, increasing to 50% for existing plants in 2017 and 60% for new infrastructure thereafter. The Fuel Quality Directive, setting a target of a 6% GHG reduction for fuels used in the transport sector in 2020. http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-12-1112_en.htm
Biofuels are a liquid or gaseous fuel sourced directly from biological materials (biomass)(Mol, APJ 2007) http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/energy/renewable_energy/l28175_en.htm Fig 1 conveying the typical sources, conversion techniques and type of biofuel product created.
First generation biofuels are classed as crops with readily accessible sugar, starches and or oils as their feedstock i.e. food crops (corn, maize, rapeseed, sugarcane) and second generation biofuels are feedstock’s that consist of lignocellulosic biomass (agricultural and forest production wastes: corn stalks, straw, switch grass) www.dnv.com
On the 17/10/12, the European Commission published a proposal to raise the climate benefits of biofuels and to acknowledge and limit global land conversion for biofuel production in the EU. The use of first generation biofuels has been limited to 5%; enabling stimulation towards the development of second generation biofuels needed to fulfil the outstanding 5%.
Biofuels have become an incendiary issue recently with the environmental, economic and social sustainability impacts bringing more awareness to its development. Influencing factors such as, food vs. fuel, renewable energy regulations, technological advancement and funding, energy security vs. energy price (oil price increase), taxes and tariffs, trade distortion and traceability