USDA GAIN Report Highlights EU Ethanol, Biodiesel Markets

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August 17, 2015

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by Erin Voegele (Ethanol Producer Magazine) A report recently filed with the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service’s Global Agricultural Information Network provides an overview of the European Union’s liquid biofuel industry, including information related to ethanol and biodiesel.

According to the report, the European Parliament approved a reform of the Renewable Energy Directive in April, which places a 7 percent cap on crop-based biofuels use in the transportation sector. The European Council is expected to confirm the parliament’s vote this year. If approved, member states would be required to enact the new legislation by 2017.

The report notes that the use of ethanol and biodiesel was reduced in 2012 and 2013, but stabilized last year, and is expected to remain at near current levels for the remainder of 2015 and 2016. The report attributes stagnation in the EU biofuel sector to lower fossil fuel use, adjustment of member state mandates, and double-counting of biofuels made from non-food feedstock. Although consumption of biofuels was decreased in recent years, protective trade measures and low feedstock prices allowed European production to increase, nearly reaching self-sufficiency last year. The report indicates the EU produced approximately 99 percent of the ethanol it consumed last year, along with 97 percent of the biodiesel. READ MORE Download report

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