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RFA reports on the impacts of the RTFO
The Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) today (28 January 2010) reported on the impacts of the biofuel supplied in the first year of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO)1.
This confirms the RFA as the first regulator in the world to
monitor and report verified information on the carbon and
sustainability performance of biofuels.
Several fossil fuel suppliers are shown by the report to have
failed to demonstrate the sustainability of their biofuels. Morgan
Stanley and Topaz both missed all three Government performance
targets, while Chevron, Murco and Topaz failed to report any fuel
meeting the RTFO’s Environmental Qualifying Standard. As well as
companies with poor results, there were several that failed to
have their data verified to the RFA’s satisfaction. BP, Murco and
Prax reported meeting at least one target, but as their data was
not properly assured the RFA could not confirm this.
At the other end of the scale, ConocoPhillips, Greenergy and
Mabanaft are identified for meeting all three Government targets.
ConocoPhillips and Mabanaft sourced feedstock certified to the
British ‘ACCS’ sustainability standard, Greenergy undertook
independent sustainability audits of Brazilian sugar cane and
Mabanaft and Greenergy supplied much of their fuel from wastes and
by products. There are also a large number of companies supplying
only biofuels and meeting all three sustainability targets – this
includes all companies supplying biodiesel from used cooking oil.
The RFA’s CEO Nick Goodall said, “We have seen many companies
meeting the challenge of sourcing their biofuels responsibly.
However, too many are lagging behind and dragging overall
performance down. With mandatory sustainability criteria due to be
introduced by the end of 2010, companies like Morgan Stanley and
Topaz need to make a step change in performance.”
The report also follows up on the Agency's
'Gallagher Review', which called for indirect
effects of biofuels to be addressed, by proposing a new
methodology to identify biofuels with a low risk of causing
indirect land use change (iLUC). The study identifies example
cases where iLUC could be avoided, including:
• Palm cultivation on underutilised but fertile low value
grassland in Indonesia;
• Reducing land demand for cattle pasture by integrating
cattle with soy or sugar cane plantations in Brazil;
• Taking simple measures to improve yields for sugar cane in
the Philippines and palm oil in Liberia.
RFA’s Head of Carbon and Sustainability Aaron Berry commented,
“Biofuel suppliers should be encouraged to support projects like
these, which avoid indirect effects, as they reduce the risk of
causing indirect carbon emissions and raising food prices.”
The full report and supporting studies, containing a wide
ranging examination of the impacts of UK biofuel use, are
available at www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk/yearone.
Contact: Chris Malins, 07500 573 521, chris.malins@rfa.gsi.gov.uk,
020 7944 8454
Notes: 1) The RTFO applies across the whole of the UK.
Refiners, importers and any others who supply more than 450,000
litres of relevant hydrocarbon oil annually to the UK market are
obligated by it
Contacts:
NDS Enquiries
Phone: For enquiries please contact the above department
ndsenquiries@coi.gsi.gov.uk