Brussels, 29/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - After surging between 2005 and 2010, the growth of biofuel consumption in the EU dropped by at least 3% between 2011 and 2012.
In an uncertain political context, the consumption of biofuels remained steady in the EU at nearly 14.4 million tonnes of oil equivalent in 2012, i.e. 0.4 million tonnes more than in 2011. However, the trend over the past decade is confirmed with an ever lower growth level, reaching 2.9% between 2011 and 2012, compared with 5.3% between 2010 and 2011, according to a barometer of the consortium on monitoring the development of renewables in the EU, Eurobserv'ER, published on 29 October.
Developments in 2012 are nonetheless far from homogenous throughout EU countries, where 14 countries (including France, Spain, Sweden and Finland) have chosen to increase their consumption, while 10 other countries (including the UK, Poland, Hungary and Italy) have chosen to reduce theirs. (EH/transl.jl)