Do biofuels have a future?

The publication of an independent review of the government's biofuel plans have caused the future of biofuels to be thrown further into doubt.

The review found that the government's target that 10% of all transport fuels must be biofuel by 2012 is too ambitious and needs to be reconsidered.

There has been a backlash against biofuel, with various charities accusing producers of destroying rain forests in order to grow biofuel crops as well as switching production from food to fuel crops.

Campaigners such as Friends of the Earth believe this has, in part, led to the sudden increase in world food prices.

Professor Ed Gallagher leader of the Renewable Fuels Agency's review said the government must slow the introduction of biofuels until effective controls have been securely put into place.
It warned that unchecked current policies "will reduce biodiversity and may even cause greenhouse gas emissions rather than savings." They also went on to say that another contribution to the rising prices of food commodities was the demand for biofuels.

Considering the factors above, it has been found that there is still a future for a sustainable biofuels industry where production is on idle and marginal land. They believe this will avoid indirect land use change and reduce competition with food.

Friends of the Earth say "The reports recommendations do not go far enough."
The charity urged the government to reconsider its biofuels obligation altogether.

"Feeding cars instead of people pushes up food prices and fuel deforestation," said its spokesman Kenneth Richter.

The Gallagher report was surprisingly given a warm reception by the biofuels industry.
"Far from being bad news from the industry, the report confirms that biofuels have their role to play, but we must proceed with caution and make sure that biofuels are made from sustainable sources." said Richard Price, director of Biofuels Media.