ondon - The UK Renewable
Fuels Agency (RFA) has issued its first report on the impacts of
the biofuel supplied in the first year of the Renewable Transport
Fuel Obligation (RTFO). This confirms the RFA as the first
regulator in the world to monitor and report verified information
on the carbon and sustainability performance of biofuels.

Several fossil fuel suppliers are shown by the report to have
failed to demonstrate the sustainability of their biofuels. Morgan
Stanley  and Topaz both missed all three Government
performance targets, while Chevron, Murco and Topaz failed to
report any fuel meeting the RTFO’s Environmental Qualifying
Standard.

As well as companies with poor results, there were several that
failed to have their data verified to the RFA’s satisfaction. BP,
Murco and Prax reported meeting at least one target, but as their
data was not properly assured the RFA could not confirm this.

At the other end of the scale, ConocoPhillips, Greenergy and
Mabanaft are identified for meeting all three Government targets.
ConocoPhillips and Mabanaft sourced feedstock certified to the
British ‘ACCS’ sustainability standard, Greenergy undertook
independent sustainability audits of Brazilian sugar cane and
Mabanaft and Greenergy supplied much of their fuel from wastes and
by?products.

“We have seen many companies meeting the challenge
of sourcing their biofuels responsibly. However, too many are
lagging behind and dragging overall performance down.”

There are also a large number of companies supplying only
biofuels and meeting all three sustainability targets - this
includes all companies supplying biodiesel from used cooking
oil.

The RFA’s CEO Nick Goodall said, “We have seen many companies
meeting the challenge of sourcing their biofuels responsibly.
However, too many are lagging behind and dragging overall
performance down. With mandatory sustainability criteria due to be
introduced by the end of 2010, companies like Morgan Stanley and
Topaz need to make a step change in performance.”

The report also follows up on the Agency’s ‘Gallagher Review’,
which called for indirect effects of biofuels to be addressed, by
proposing a new methodology to identify biofuels with a low risk of
causing indirect land use change (iLUC). The study identifies
example cases where iLUC could be avoided, including:

• Palm cultivation on underutilised but fertile low value
  grassland in Indonesia;



• Reducing land demand for cattle pasture by integrating cattle
  with soy or sugar cane plantations in Brazil;



• Taking simple measures to improve yields for sugar cane in the
  Philippines and palm oil in Liberia.

RFA’s Head of Carbon and Sustainability Aaron Berry commented,
“Biofuel suppliers should be encouraged to support projects like
these, which avoid indirect effects, as they reduce the risk of
causing indirect carbon emissions and raising food prices.”

The full report and supporting studies, containing a wide
ranging examination of the impacts of UK biofuel use, are available
at target=”_blank”>www.renewablefuelsagency.gov.uk/yearone.