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Renewable Fuels Agency releases its first data on UK biofuels

NEWS DISTRIBUTION SERVICE News Release issued by The Government News Network on 7 August 2008

Issued on behalf of: The Renewable Fuels Agency

The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) today (07/08/2008) publishes its first monthly report on the supply of biofuels under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), covering the period 15 April - 14 May* 2008.

Biofuels accounted for 2.14% of UK road fuel against a target for the year of 2.5 %. More biodiesel (86%) has been supplied than bioethanol (14%).

The market has been dominated by imports. The feedstock is known for nearly 90% of biofuels, while both feedstock and country of origin are known for 57%. The most widely reported feedstock was American soy (22%), for biodiesel and Brazilian sugarcane (79%) for bioethanol.

In the first month, 19% of biofuels met environmental standards, compared to a target for the year of 30%.

Greenhouse gas savings of 42% were achieved, but this figure excludes the emissions from indirect changes in land-use considered in the recent 'Gallagher Review'. The Agency has recommended that indirect effects are included in future sustainability reporting and is working with the Government to identify a way to do this.

RFA CEO Nick Goodall commented, "The RFA is pleased to be able to make this first set of data available. We will continue to publish information as soon as we are able, and will be reporting company performance figures in our October quarterly report."

The data comes from monthly reports submitted by fuel suppliers to the RFA. The RFA performs checks on the data, which is also subject to an annual verification process by auditors. The RFA will publish a final, fully verified dataset at the end of year.

Footnote:

*The data for companies reporting to HMRC using the calendar month based HO930 form (typically larger biofuel only companies) covers only the second half of April (after the obligation came into effect), 15 April - 30 April 2008.

Notes to editors:

The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA), a Government Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB), is the UK's independent sustainable fuels regulator.

The RTFO applies across the whole of the UK. Refiners, importers and any others who supply more than 450,000 litres of fossil-based road transport fuel annually to the UK market are obligated by it.

The initial requirement is for 2.5% of the fuel supplied for road transport in 2008-09 to be biofuel. The RTFO order increases this by 1.25% a year to 5% in 2010/11.

The RFA recently published The Gallagher review of the indirect effects of biofuels production (http://www.renewablefuelsagency.org/_db/_documents/Report_of_the_Gallagher_review.pdf). Among other proposals, it recommends that the rate of increase in the RTFO should be reduced to 0.5% a year, bringing the target to 5% in 2013/14.

The RFA will be publishing data through out the year. Further details are at http://www.renewablefuelsagency.org/reportsandpublications/rfapublicationschedule2008-9.cfm.

Professor Ed Gallagher is Chair of the RFA. He was previously the Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and its predecessor the National Rivers Authority, and was Governor and then Chair of Middlesex University from 1994-2004. He has been the Chair of Energywatch since 2004.

Nick Goodall is the Chief Executive of the RFA. He was previously Chief Executive of the Energy Networks Association, Renewables East and the British Wind Energy Association.

For further information:
http://www.renewablefuelsagency.org
enquiries@renewablefuelsagency.org