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Broughan welcomes new EU biofuels policy

Issued : Tuesday 31 January, 2006

Labour Spokesperson on Natural Resources, Tommy Broughan TD, has welcomed a new European Commission policy document promoting the production and use of biofuels Deputy Broughan said the document represents a serious attempt to strengthen the biofuels sector across the EU and in developing countries.

“The new biofuels strategy does not go as far as laying down mandatory biofuel targets for all 25 EU member states. However it does advocate the advantages of mandatory targets and their possible future introduction. There is a voluntary target in place at the moment that aims to have biofuels responsible for 5.75% share of transport fuels by 2010 but is unlikely to be reached across the EU and indicates the ineffectiveness, so far, of a voluntary approach.

“The new EU policy also suggests a revision of the current biofuels directive, increased monitoring to eliminate legal barriers or discrimination against biofuel use and the intensifying of research into “second generation” biofuels.

“In Ireland some very small quantities of biofuels were used in transport by Cork City Council in 2004 but the contribution to overall transport energy was as little as 0.00002%, according to the latest figures from the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

“The benefits of biofuels are enormous. They provide a much-needed diversification of our present energy mix. They do not contribute to greenhouse gases emissions and also provide a new source of demand for the agricultural products involved including rapeseed, sugar, grain and farm waste.

“The FF/PD Government has done little or nothing to encourage the use of biofuels. These new policy measures should be considered for urgent adoption in order to greatly promote this valuable energy resource in Ireland.”