Biofuels Strategy
Bio-energy is the energy derived from biomass, including biofuels. The organic biomass material used can be wood, agricultural crops, forestry residues, agricultural residues or organic waste.
Biomass includes non food-products for various purposes. It has an important role to play as feedstock material for renewable energy generation whether for electricity, heating and cooling or for transport fuels, but also as raw material for other uses.
Biofuels are transport fuels produced from biomass feed-stocks (i.e. organic material). The term commonly applies to liquid transport fuels, but also includes gas and solid fuels such as wood pellets and chips; the combustion of not only straw, but also the grain (i.e. the entire plant) has also been discussed. The term commonly applies to liquid transport fuels. At present, three biofuels account for almost all consumption in the transport sector world-wide: ethanol and ETBE (ethyl tertiary butyl ether composed of ethanol and fossil fuels), biodiesel, and biogas.
Today, bioethanol is the world’s main biofuel. Biodiesel, which until recently was produced almost solely in the EU, is now gaining a foothold in many regions across the world. Biogas comes third and has so far made a breakthrough only in Sweden.
According to EurObservER, the EU’s production of biofuels amounted to 2.4 million tonnes in 2004, approximately 0.8% of EU petrol and diesel consumption. Bioethanol production was reported at 0.5 million tonnes and biodiesel at 1.9 million tonnes. This is an increase of more than 25% compared with the previous year and production capacities are increasing rapidly.
