New study critiques potential biofuels expansion in EU on biodiversity grounds

In Europe, a new study presents a new method for assessing the biodiversity impact of direct land use change from increased biofuel cultivation. The study examined the potential impact from doubling the EU biofuel target, currently set at 5.75 percent by 2020, and also looked at the impact from abolishing the targets.

The study found that doubling the targets would have mainly detrimental impact on biodiversity, while abolishing the targets would have positive impacts, although the study’s authors said that the impacts would be diminished if woods and grasses were used from cellulosic ethanol production instead of cereals or oilseed crops.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Researchers say wasted coffee grounds could provide up to 340 Mgy of biodiesel

In Nevada, researchers at the University of Nevada-Reno have announced that coffee grounds, which have an 11-20 percent oil content by weight, could be the source of up to 340 Mgy of biodiesel. Ground...

Sabah state in Malaysia establishes biodiversity bank; palm oil producers will buy biodiversity credits

In Malaysia, New Forests and the Sabah state government have agreed on the establishment of a conservation bank for the region. Under the agreement, palm oil producers will purchase biodiversity cred...

Malaysia’s Sabah state demonstrates jatropha biodiesel in Toyota Land Cruiser; $300 million investment possible for US, Japan, South Korea export market

In Malaysia, the Sabah Land Development Board (SLDB) demonstrated jatropha biodiesel in a Toyota Land Cruiser trial conducted at the Sabah Development Corridor Expo. The SLDB has proposed expansion of...

Study critiques Ault Report on biofuels for quoting life-cycle studies that did not follow ISO guidelines, and overstating biofuel taxes

In Canada, a report commissioned by the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association identified numerous errors in a C.D. Howe Institute report by Douglas Auld that criticized biofuel production. The report c...

African study says that current biofuel projects in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Benin could lead to “environmental and humanitarian disaster”

A study published by the Africa Biodiversity Network said that current biofuel project development and selection practices in Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Benin could lead to environmental and humanit...

Nevada team converts coffee grounds to biodiesel; says Starbucks could produce 3 Mgy from its waste, plus pellet-stove fuel

In Nevada, a chemical and engineering team at the University of Nevada has developed a process to convert used coffee grounds to biodiesel. The researchers says that up to 3 million gallons of biodies...