Biofuels important in cutting CO2 says SMMT

24 January 2008

Motor manufacturers believe that increased use of biofuel can help combat global warming despite concerns from an influential committee of MPs.

The Environmental Audit Committee says biofuels are ineffective at cutting greenhouse gases and can be expensive and, as a result, the EU should abandon its biofuels targets.

However, the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says that, although there are issues that must be carefully considered, increased use of biofuel presents an opportunity to reduce significantly man-made CO2 emissions.

According to the SMMT, every car is capable of running on blends of up to five per cent biomass, whether new or used, without affecting performance.

Furthermore, some new models are E85 compliant (which means they can run on high-blend bioethanol as well as standard unleaded) and others can take higher-blend biodiesel, such as B30.

Fundamentally, biofuel production must be sustainable. The early development of second-generation biofuels, which use biowaste rather than crops, is strongly supported by the industry.

Biofuels must also be manufactured in accordance with international quality standards. This ensures drivers will not face either premature breakdowns or poorer vehicle performance.

As part of an integrated approach to sustainable motoring, SMMT chief executive, Paul Everitt, has also called for a wider refuelling infrastructure and incentives for customers to fill up with the latest fuels.