EU shelve biofuel restriction plan

According to Reuters, the EU lawmakers recently have shelved the biofuel restriction plan, and this action maybe will leave a development space for biological energy industry, but also is likely to result in higher food prices in the future.

The relevant person in charge of the European commission has said that the first generation of biofuel must be prohibited, but the current decision has denied the claim. However, European parliament's environment committee has not approved the EU negotiators to negotiate about the legal text, and it means the plan will not be approved before 2015. The groups who support the first generation of biofuel think that relevant departments need to prepare sufficient evidence and discuss many times before changing the policy. Besides, the EU biodiesel board and the ethanol lobby have ever said: "any changes in the current legislative framework are required to have solid and scientific evidence to support."

However, environmentalists and the researchers who engaged in extracting biodiesel and alcohol from algae or wasted material called for a decision as soon as possible. Kare Riis Nielsen who represents EU to manage the Danish Novozymes Group said: "it's not fair for certain industries and investors, continuous regulation of uncertain will threat to EU’s efforts to attract innovational and renewable energy technology investment, such as advanced biofuel technology." Novozymes use enzyme to produce advanced biofuel, this kind of fuel is advanced than the first generation of, but have so far failed to attract enough money.

In 2009, the European Union transport departments are required to complete 10% renewable energy target, and most of the energy comes from the first generation of biomass energy technologies. But at present, the first generation of bio-energy technology has completed a rough target of 5%, and has enough production ability to realize the target of 10%. But the restriction plan is possibly make the goal become a bubble.

The use of biofuel can help to reduce traffical carbon emissions and reduce Europe's dependence on foreign oil. For example, biodiesel blended that made from sugar or rapeseed oil, can be use as vehicle fuel after mixing with conventional fuels. But EU’s thirst for biofuel would drive the world food prices up, as a result, some kinds of biofuel do harm to the climate worse than fossil fuel. Malaysia, such as rapeseed oil and palm oil or soybean oil can replace food production in the new fields, but this can lead to deforestation and peatland drainage, and bring the world food prices rising.

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