Biodiesel demand slows in EU as cheap imports, policy woes bite

In Belgium, new biodiesel demand figures for the European Union’s 27 member states show that growth slowed in 2010 while the industry dealt with cheap imports and an unclear policy framework, especially in France, Germany and Spain. Demand for 2010 increased by 13.6%, but that’s a far cry from the 2009’s demand increase of 29% or 2008’s of 43%. Total 2010 demand reached 13.9 million tons of oil equivalent. Biodiesel refinery usage rates were at an average of just 49% while Spain was the worst off with just 10%.