E-Energymarket

Call for an effective implementation of the Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) issue in the EU biofuels policy

Editorial news of E-Energy Market by: Erik

A group of companies, trade associations and NGOs have send a letter to the commission that a practical and effective solution is needed to address the ongoing debate about Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC) in European biofuels policy.

The group warns that it blocks :

·         Meeting EU renewables targets

·         Helping to deliver energy security

·         Fostering rural economic development and

·         Developing a sustainable bioenergy system that can help towards decarbonising transport in Europe and beyond. 

The companies include Royal Dutch Shell, Neste Oil and represent several billions of Euros of investment into the biofuels sector in Europe. These investments and also future investments are at risk by not adopting a practical and effective implementation of the ILUC policy.

The companies also fear the ILUC policy is counterproductive in its exclusion of certain feedstocks. The effects of banning one feedstock would lead to an increased demand of the alternative feedstock and herewith increasing the need for land.

Also any feedstock penalised by ILUC factors would have no opportunity to make further sustainability improvements.

The group claims that none one of policy options being assessed encourage producers to adopt additional practices that reduce ILUC risks, nor do they improve investor confidence for biofuel development. A combination of any of the four policy options under assessment would not only exacerbate their negative effects but also deliver no overall reduction in the carbon emissions of transport fuels.

There is a range of ILUC mitigation practices that are effective such as:

·         the use of co-products for animal feed purposes

·         crop production on degraded lands

·         improved agricultural production practices that lead to increased yields

·         other land management measures

·         negotiation of effective bilateral agreements with third countries

·         the development of certain advanced generation biofuels.

Such a market-driven approach ILUC mitigation would not require additional public funding.

The group that signed the letter to the commission consists of Coceral, Downstream Fuel Association, European Biodiesel Board, FEDIOL, Neste Oil, PANGEA (Partners for Euro-African Green Energy), Riverstone Holdings, Royal Dutch Shell , UPEI, (Union Petroliere Europeene Independante). These companies, NGO´s and trade associations believe the above mentioned areas of agricultural science and biofuel technology could make a significant contribution to the development of a more sustainable bioenergy system.

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Categories : Climate Change, Indirect Land Use Change ILUC, Green house gas emissions, Human and Labor rights, Food security, Geopolitics & Energy security and Self sufficiency, Sustainability, National policies, International policies (EU, USA, UNFCCC, etc.), Policy and Legislation