EU policy

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European Union policy

• The EU has a binding target of a 20% share of renewable energies in overall EU energy consumption by 2020.^[1]
• The EU has approved a binding biofuels mandate of 10% by 2020^[2]
  • "The binding character of this target is appropriate subject to production being sustainable, second-generation biofuels becoming commercially available and the Fuel Quality Directive being amended accordingly to allow for adequate levels of blending."
  • Public Consultation on Biofuels. The European Commission is accepting comments on the following questions as they draft proposals for the 10% mandate for biofuels and the 20% mandate for renewable energy.

1. How should a biofuel sustainability system be designed?
2. How should overall effects on land use be monitored?
3. How should the use of second-generation biofuels be encouraged?
4. What further action is needed to make it possible to achieve a 10% biofuel share?

• The European Biofuels Directive (2003/30/EC), (May 2003).
  • Set a target of 2% biofuels by 2005, which was not met. Biofuels made up 1.4% of EU-wide fuel in 2005. (source:The EU Strategy on Biofuels: from field to fuel)
  • Set a target of 5.75% biofuels by 2010
  • Go here for National reports on the implementation of Directive 2003/30/EC
• Stricter fuel standards to combat climate change and reduce air pollution - The new fuel standards, which require suppliers to reduce GHG emissions per unit of energy by 1% a year from 2010 levels, will require a Life-Cycle Analysis of biofuels to determine if they actually provide a benefit in reducing greenhouse gases.
• Biomass Action Plan of the European Commission (July 2005). Covers the use of biomass for heating, electricity, biofuels for transport, and cross-cutting issues, like supply and legislative issues.
  • An EU Strategy for Biofuels (PDF) (August 2006), which complements the Biomass Action Plan.
• Go here for a table of EU member states biofuel targets.
• Green Paper: A European Strategy for Sustainable, Competitive and Secure Energy (PDF)
• Declaration European Regions for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources - Commitments to renewable energy by regional and local governments in Europe.

Member state policy

The Netherlands

• The Transport Biofuels Act - Mandates 2% biofuels from 2007, which will increase to 5.75% in 2010.
  • The law allows for "additional ministerial measures to be taken with respect to sustainability. In addition, categories of biofuels that do not meet minimum sustainability criteria may be excluded under ministerial regulations."^[3]

United Kingdom

• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation
  • Starting in 2008 the RTFO will "place an obligation on fuel suppliers to ensure that a certain percentage of their aggregate sales is made up of biofuels. The effect of this will be to require 5% of all UK fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from a renewable source by 2010."^[4]
  • Renewable Fuel Certificates will be issued, which can be traded by companies.
  • Biofuel producers will have to report on the green-house gas balance, and environmental impact of their biofuels.
  • This information will be used to develop sustainability standards, which may be imposed on any extension of the RTFO.^[4]
  • Statement by the UK Transportation Minister on Sustainability and the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation

Publications

• European biofuel policies in retrospect (pdf) by E. van Thuijl and E.P. Deurwaarder; Energy Research Center of the Netherlands, May 2006.

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