The EU biofuels target for 2020 of 10 percent can be met with conventional feedstocks and current technology without major agricultural land use changes and environmental consequences. Yet, only advanced, second-generation biofuels are expected to provide a substantial contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy security. The introduction of these advanced biofuels requires supporting measures on several policy levels. These are the key conclusions of the REFUEL project, commissioned by the EU’s Intelligent Energy Europe programme and coordinated by ECN.

Biofuels potential can become available without compromising food and feed supply. Furthermore, it does not require conversion of forestland, grassland and nature conservation areas into arable land. The latter is essential since recent studies indicate that such land use changes may lead to losses of soil carbon that would turn any greenhouse gas emission reductions into net increases of emissions. In the new EU member states and Ukraine, agriculture has ample opportunities for increasing crop and livestock yields, thereby freeing up agricultural land for biofuel feedstock cultivation.

Benefits
The EU’s 10 percent target for biofuels by 2020 can be met by domestic production of conventional, first-generation biofuels, and moderate imports. However, advanced, or second-generation biofuels would result in more climate benefits. These biofuels, produced from residues and woody or grassy plants, show substantially higher yields per hectare of land, and provide far better opportunities for the EU industry to develop an innovative sector. Any biofuels policy promoting these benefits leads to improved opportunities for second-generation biofuels, the REFUEL analyses show. In comparison, conventional biofuels (bio diesel from oil crops and bio ethanol from sugar crops, cereals) perform less adequately on these most commonly used arguments for increasing biofuels use.

Hurdles
However, for advanced biofuels to enter the market, various obstacles will need to be tackled. Required production technology needs to be further developed and deployed, as well as new supply chains for agricultural and forestry residues and crops. Overcoming these hurdles will require a favourable and stable investment climate. Furthermore, REFUEL shows that cross-sector strategies can help reduce these barriers. Examples are the initial development of biomass supply chains for power generation, or integration of biofuel plants in district heating systems. In this context, the role of the Central and Eastern European countries will be pivotal, as this region has most of the feedstock potential.

Future
ECN-coordinator of the Refuel project Marc Londo sees a bright future. “The REFUEL results show us that biofuels can contribute substantially to a sustainable energy supply. In view of the recent wave of reports with critical comments on biofuels, one could easily forget this. At the same time one should consider the most important risks concerning biofuels. The greatest challenge for today is how to shape a responsible policy regarding stimulation of the use of biofuels. This particularly relates to the discussion on the availability of raw materials and commodities.

Key questions are how to stimulate efficiency in productivity. How can farmers in Eastern Europe raise their production to western standards so there can be more agricultural land free for growing biofuels? How can we prevent the demand for biofuels to cause world wide deforestation? And how can we support advanced, second-generation biofuels to become more widespread? These and other questions are the focal point in the continuation of REFUEL: Elobio (Effective and LOw BIOfuel policies). Greater part of the researchers of the REFUEL project will again participate in this project, however with a more economical point of view. A survey of stakeholders will be a part of the new Elobio project, as well as gathering ideas and suggestions of market related institutes.

The two-year REFUEL-project is coordinated by the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands, and implemented by a consortium of seven European institutes with different disciplinary backgrounds. The team officially presented the final road map document in a press conference on March 14, during the World Biofuel Markets conference in Brussels.

Information:
More information on the project Refuel is available on the website. At the website you also can download the report. More information on the new Elobio project is available on www.elibio.eu. Interested stakeholders can subscribe to stakeholder@remove-this-part-elobio.eu.

Contact:
Marc Londo
ECN Policy Studies
Tel.: (+31) 224 568253
londo@remove-this-part-ecn.nl