Key EU committee votes to add 2nd-gen biofuel component to EU biofuel target; affirms 10 percent target for 2020, reduced goal of 5 percent by 2015

The Industry Committee of the European Parliament yesterday endorsed the EU’s 10 percent biofuels target, but members voted to support a reduced target of 5 percent for 2015, with 20 percent of the target coming from advanced biofuels that “do not compete with food production.”

The 2020 target of 10 percent was affirmed, but modified to require 40 percent of the target be met with advanced biofuels and that the target would be reviewed in 2014. Rodolfo Garofalo, secretary of the European Biodiesel Board, said that weakening the targets set last year sent the wrong signals to investors and producers.

“Renewable electric cars do not exist,” said Garofalo in the Interantional Herald Tribune. People are going to charge the batteries of their cars at home with normal electricity that is predominately of a fossil fuel base. So there is no incentive given to renewables that way – instead you are just increasing the use of electricity full stop.”

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