After two years of stagnation, European biofuel consumption picked up again in 2017, according to the latest '2018 Biofuels Barometer' published on 1 October by the Renewable Energy Observatory (EurObserv'ER).
The latter considers that with the institutional agreement in June on the revision of the European directive on renewable energies, "the period of uncertainty about the future of biofuels has ended" and that "the proposed framework for the development of biofuels should make it possible to better structure the sector". A target for 2030 was set at 14% renewable energy for transport and the 7% cap imposed on so-called first-generation biofuels was maintained.
Biofuel consumption in transport increased again in 2017 (+9.2%), reaching 15.5 Mtoe (megatonne oil equivalent), a gain of 1.3 Mtoe compared to 2016, notes EurObserv' ER. Biodiesel (the most consumed biofuel) has increased most rapidly, with a gain of 1142 ktoe (kilotonne of oil equivalent) compared to 2016 (+10%). Bioethanol consumption increased by 156.6 ktoe (+5.8%). Finally, fuel biogas consumption also increased by 9.7%, from 134.5 ktoe in 2016 to 147.5 ktoe in 2017. European bioethanol production increased to 3.9 million tonnes in 2017, an 11% increase compared to 2016. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)