Novozymes Urges EU to Recognise Next Generation Biofuel Opportunity
by Will Nichols (Business Green) The EU’s new biofuels policy falls short of what is needed to spur growth in advanced fuels and is mistakenly writing off fuels derived from food crops, one of the world’ largest biotechnology companies has warned.
Commissioners last week unveiled proposals to cap the use of biofuels made from wheat or rapeseed to meet the bloc’s goal of sourcing 10 per cent of transport energy from renewable sources by 2020.
These first generation fuels, which have been criticised by campaigners for undermining food production at a time of rising global prices, will now only be allowed to deliver half the EU’s biofuel target. Instead, the Commission confirmed it wants to see more sustainable alternatives made from non-feed feedstocks such as waste, crop residues, or algae, make up the other half of the target.
Lars Hansen, European president of Danish biofuels company Novozymes, welcomed the Commission’s support for the kind of so-called second generation biofuels the company specialises in.
But he said the move will fail to deliver additional investment for the sector unless it is backed by greater policy certainty, such as the firm target for advanced biofuels introduced by the Obama administration in the US. READ MORE and MORE (World Biofuels Markets News) and MORE (World Biofuels Markets News) and MORE (Algae Industry Magazine) and MORE (EurActiv)
