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The Gallagher Review was released earlier this week. The report was commissioned by Ruth Kelly, Transport Secretary, with the aim of examining the scale of the indirect effects of current biofuel production and propose solutions.
Results of the Review:
- The review calls for a more 'cautious' approach on existing targets in the light of emerging evidence of the use of crops for biofuels on land use and food prices.
- Recommends a new, reduced set of steps for the UK to achieve it's biofuel targets based on 'amending, not abandoning' current legislation, with a greater emphasis on 2nd generation biofuels, especially crops grown on 'idle or marginal land'. The report says that the displacement of existing agricultural productions, due to biofuel demand, is accelerating land use change and, if left unchecked, will reduce biodiversity and may even cause GHG emissions rather than savings.
- The review also proposed a specific EU-wide obligation to encourage second-generaion technologies to commence in 2015 rising to 1-2% by energy in 2020.
On the recommendations of the review, the Renewable Fuel Agency (RFA - Administrator for the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation) are now considering the current RTFO target for 2008/09 to be retained at 2.5% (by volume), however, the proposed rate of increase in biofuels should be reduced to 0.5% (volume) per annum rising to a maximum of 5% by 2013/14. The original target was 5% by 2010.
For more information, please see: http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/reportsandpublications/reviewoftheindirecteffectsofbiofuels.cfm
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