Biofuels: 'Irrational' and 'even worse than fossil fuels'

The UK's "illogical" use of biofuels will cost drivers around ₤ 460 million over the next 12 months, a think tank states.

A report by Chatham House, external states the growing reliance on sustainable liquid fuels will likewise increase food costs.

The author states that biodiesel made from veggie oil was worse for the environment than fossil fuels.

Under EU law, external, biofuels are set to comprise 5% of the UK's transport fuel from today.

Since 2008, the UK has actually needed fuel providers to add a growing proportion of sustainable products into the fuel and diesel they supply. These biofuels are primarily ethanol distilled from corn and biodiesel made from rapeseed, utilized cooking oil and tallow.

Deep fried fuel

But research performed for Chatham House says that reaching the 5% level suggests that UK vehicle drivers will have to pay an additional ₤ 460m a year since of the greater expense of fuel at the pump and from filling up regularly as biofuels have a lower energy material.

The report state that if the UK is to fulfill its responsibilities to EU energy targets the expense to vehicle drivers is likely to increase to ₤ 1.3 bn per year by 2020.

"It is tough to find any good news," Rob Bailey, senior research study fellow at Chatham House, told BBC News.

"Biofuels increase expenses and they are a really pricey way to reduce carbon emissions," he said.

The EU biofuel requireds are also having results in the market. Because utilized cooking oil is considered as among the most sustainable kinds of biodiesel, the price for it has risen rapidly. Rob Bailey states that towards the end of 2012 it was more costly than refined palm oil.

"It develops a monetary incentive to purchase refined palm oil, cook a chip in it to turn it into used cooking oil and after that offer it at earnings,"

"It is insane but the rewards exist."

There are also stresses that taking EU land out of production to grow rapeseed oil in specific is developing more environment problems than it resolves. The more fuel of this type that is put into vehicles the larger the deficit produced in the edible oils market. This had caused increased imports of palm oil from Indonesia, typically produced on deforested land.

"Once you take into account these indirect effects, biofuels made from veggie oils actually result worldwide in more emissions than you would receive from using diesel in the very first place," stated Rob Bailey.

"Plus you are asking drivers to pay more for the fuel - it makes no sense, it is a totally illogical strategy."

Biofuel benefits

The European Biodiesel Board (EBB), which represents the industry, external throughout the EU, stated it was aware of the problems triggered by the required. But it thinks that biofuels have many positives.

"Blaming biofuels for all the difficulties worldwide is a bit too exaggerated," said Isabelle Maurizi, project supervisor at the EBB.

"It has brought lots of advantages. It has actually improved the security of our diesel