REA says UK proposal for biofuels will condemn the domestic industry

In the UK, the Renewable Energy Agency says the 2030 clean transport proposals outlined by the Department for Transport and currently open for public consultation proposes capping fuel crops to below EU levels, risking existing UK plants and supply chain. The consultation introduces new sub-target for development fuels such as biomethane, hydrogen and aviation fuels.

Commenting on the consultation, James Court, Head of Policy & External Affairs at the Renewable Energy Association said:

“Whilst it is positive that the industry will now have some long sought after policy certainty, the proposed indiscriminate capping of fuel crops could condemn over a GBP1 billion of assets of our members.

“The move to include a new sub-target for biomethane, hydrogen and aviation fuels is welcome, but the truth is that the targets are disappointingly low and will mean that over 90% of our fuel use for decades to come will come from polluting fossil sources. It is crucial that genuinely sustainable biofuels are encouraged, something the UK was leading on and we could now see stagnation of plants at best, closure at worst.”