Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Finally, the biofuels progress report is also in line with a broader policy
document from the EU - the Renewable Energy Road Map (European
Commission, 2007a). Like the biofuels progress report, the Renewable
Energy Road Map also calls for revision to existing voluntary targets for
use of biofuels in the EU, proposing instead a 'mandatory (legally binding)
target of 20% for renewable energy's share of energy consumption in the
EU by 2020', along with the proposal for necessary legislative frameworks
to make sure such targets are met (p. 3). Like most other documents from
the EU relating to use of renewable energy, the Renewable Energy Road
Map is inherently optimistic: 'The challenge [that is, meeting renewable
energy targets] is huge, but the proposed target can be achieved with
determined and concerted ef orts at all levels of government assuming
the energy industry plays its full part in the undertaking' (European
Commission, 2007a, p. 3).
This document also sees biofuels as the 'only available large-scale sub-
stitute' for transport fuels, recognizing barriers in trade as one of the key
factors that could hinder the EU Member States in meeting their biofuels
target, especially if they are dependent on biofuels imports from outside
the EU (European Commission, 2007a, p. 7). Furthermore, the document
is keen to stress the need to take an incentive-based approach, such as cer-
tii cation schemes with preferential trade agreements for biofuels, when it
comes to importing biofuels from developing countries, in order to 'avoid
rain forest destruction' and other forms of losses in biodiversity.
Biodiesel: benei ts and costs
Some of the main arguments in favour of the use of biofuels in general,
and biodiesel in particular, is their potential to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, their potential to supply a secure energy source, and their per-
ceived carbon neutrality and provision of a positive net energy balance.
Although the potential of biodiesel to reduce GHG emissions is well
established and much less contested, the latter two issues are subject to a
lot of debate. In order to assess these claims, it is essential to look into the
actual benei ts and costs of biodiesel, from the early stages of production
to end use. In this section, we try to summarize the arguments surrounding
the benei ts and costs of biodiesel based on a number of earlier studies. We
assess both the economic and environmental costs and benei ts, and try
to outline whether biodiesel is or could be a benei cial alternative fuel at
present and in the future.
A number of life-cycle analyses have looked into the direct environ-
mental impacts of biodiesel, arising mainly from vehicle emissions. A
general conclusion from these studies is that biodiesel fuel provides a
'net positive energy balance'
6
and reduced CO
2
emissions (Poitrat, 1999;
