Brussels, 15/07/2009 (Agence Europe) - The EU will probably attain its 10% target of renewable energies in transport by 2020. This will be accomplished, however, by blending fossil fuels with 1st generation biofuels, which have been criticised for their dubious environment performance and their effect on subsistence farming. According to the director of the institute for energy at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) at the European Commission, Giovanni De Santi (speaking at a conference on biomass on 2 July in Hamburg), 80-90% of the 10% renewables target in the EU transport energy sector will probably come from biofuels and blends with fossil fuels. Nonetheless, most of these blends will still require 1st generation biofuel use from raw materials that would otherwise have been directed towards human food or animal feed. According to Mr De Santi, 2nd generation biofuels from non-food raw materials, such as wood, grass or algae, will not play a significant role in the next ten years and their commercial use is not expected till 2011 in the US. The production of 2nd generation biofuel production effectively requires significant investment and confidence in outlets. Mr De Santi recommends the EU take the political decision to open up the 2nd generation biofuel market, for example, through production quotas. (E.H./trans/rh)