Brussels, 21/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The association of European producers and agricultural cooperatives, Copa-Cogeca, has slammed the limits to be imposed on crop-based biofuels , arguing that they are vital for animal feed, energy production and the environment.
“It is unacceptable to limit (the) use (of biofuels) and turn our back on science and innovation”, said Copa-Cogeca Secretary General Pekka Pesonen at the International Conference Fuels of the Future 2015 in Berlin on Tuesday 20 January. “We have invested vast amounts of money in the sector after the EU committed itself in 2009 to boost the use of crop-based biofuels in transport and ensure that at least 10% of transport fuels come from renewable energy sources by 2020. This has huge benefits for growth and jobs in rural areas. Now the EU Commission has turned its back on us and proposed halving this limit, without any clear scientific advice to back it up. We reject the reports which were used as a basis to introduce iLUC (indirect Land-Use Change) factors in the fuel suppliers reporting to member states. The model used for the report is not transparent and not suitable for precisely estimating the extent of land use change in non-EU countries and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions, due to critical data errors and important methodical problems”, Pesonen stated. “We now have no clear commitment for the sector post 2020, which threatens jobs, animal feed supplies, fuel. Existing investments are insecure in the common market and producers have been left out in the cold”, he added.
Copa-Cogeca is calling for the Council and the European Parliament to opt for a higher limit of at least 8% for first generation biofuels and 2% for advanced biofuels by 2020 when they agree legislation on future EU biofuel policy.
Currently under second reading in the Council and Parliament, the draft directive, which aims to take account of iLUC in the sustainability criteria of biofuels in the fuel quality and renewable energy directives, initially proposed limiting the share of biofuels in transport to 5%. In first reading, the European Parliament agreed a 6% limit, and EU energy ministers reached agreement in June 2014 on 7%. (EH)