Brussels, 31/08/2012 (Agence Europe) - A study by German researchers casts doubt on European sustainability criteria for biofuels produced from rape-seed oil.
The German researchers in question challenge the levels of greenhouse gas emission reductions due to the use of rape-seed oil biodiesel compared to fossil fuels. “In most cases studied, biodiesel produced from rape-seed oil does not reach the targets of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction set out in the 2009 directive on the promotion of using energy produced from renewable sources”, say two of the researchers from University Friedrich Schiller in Jena, whose results have been taken up in several publications on agriculture.
The “renewables” directive makes it an obligation for biofuels to allow at least 35% of emissions to be saved compared to fossil fuels in order to be considered sustainable and to be taken into account in the European objective of 10% of biofuels for transport by 2020. The researchers indicate they were unable to validate either the value type established by the EU of 45% of emissions savings, or the default value established at 38%. Out of 12 comparisons made on the basis of six scenarios developed by scientists and two reference values for biodiesel emissions, four reach reductions of 35%, two are in line with the default value of 38% and none have crossed the 45% mark. (EH/transl.jl)