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

The UK's "illogical" use of biofuels will cost vehicle drivers around ₤ 460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank states.

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

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 transport fuel from today.

Since 2008, the UK has actually needed fuel suppliers to add a of sustainable products into the petrol and diesel they provide. These biofuels are primarily ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, utilized cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research performed for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level implies that UK motorists will have to pay an additional ₤ 460m a year due to the fact that of the higher cost of fuel at the pump and from filling more frequently as biofuels have a lower energy material.

The report state that if the UK is to fulfill its obligations to EU energy targets the cost to vehicle drivers is most likely to increase to ₤ 1.3 bn per annum by 2020.

"It is hard to discover any great news," Rob Bailey, senior research study fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.

"Biofuels increase expenses and they are a very expensive way to minimize carbon emissions," he stated.

The EU biofuel mandates are also having hugely distorting results in the market. Because used cooking oil is considered as one of the most sustainable kinds of biodiesel, the cost for it has actually risen rapidly. Rob Bailey states that towards the end of 2012 it was more expensive than refined palm oil.

"It develops a monetary incentive to buy refined palm oil, cook a chip in it to turn it into utilized cooking oil and after that offer it at revenue,"

"It is insane however the incentives are there."

There are likewise frets that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in particular is developing more climate issues than it fixes. The more fuel of this type that is taken into vehicles the larger the deficit developed in the edible oils market. This had caused increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, often produced on deforested land.

"Once you consider these indirect impacts, biofuels made from vegetable oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would obtain from using diesel in the first location," stated Rob Bailey.

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

Biofuel advantages

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the industry, external throughout the EU, stated it knew the problems caused by the mandate. But it thinks that biofuels have numerous positives.

"Blaming biofuels for all the difficulties worldwide is a bit too exaggerated," said Isabelle Maurizi, task manager at the EBB.

"It has actually brought great deals of benefits. It has actually enhanced the security of our diesel