Biofuels: from targets to tools

3.30.05pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 15th May 2007

The Future of European Bioenergy industries was the subject of an ALDE seminar today, co-chaired by the three liberal MEPs Lena EK (Centerpartiet, Sweden), Fiona HALL (Lib-Dem, UK) and Jorgo CHATZIMARKAKIS (FDP, Germany). In the context of the Council targets from March 2007 to clearly cut CO2 emissions and increase the quota of renewable energies as well as of biofuels by 2020 and being part of the ALDE campaign on climate change, the seminar focused on bringing together industry and politics in order to share experiences from companies that use and produce bioenergy.

In her introduction, Lena EK pointed out that regarding biofuels "it is time for the next step: from targets to tools". The speeches and discussions that followed gave a deep insight in the need to stimulate Research & Development on biofuels, in practical challenges for a growing market and in the urgency to provide legal instruments and policy with a long term credibility. "As ALDE, we look for solutions for sustainable growth, therefore I am pleased by the many possibilities that we witnessed today", said EK.

With a view to the transport sector, Jorgo CHATZIMARKAKIS proposed to 'fuel' the use of biofuel in the shipping industry: "Given that the European Union has the biggest merchant fleet in the world and given that the overall CO2 emission of shipping is bigger than that of aviation or of trucks, we should take the lead by strongly innovating the use of biofuels in shipping."

ALDE group leader Graham WATSON (Lib-Dem, UK) added: "Governments must now work together with business leaders to prepare industries and their products for the shift. That could involve creating market based incentives, like tax-exemptions; adapting EU standards and specifications to accommodate biofuel technology; or modifying the fuel quality directive to promote greener energy".