Brussels, February 2011

A new independent study published by the Öko-Institut has revealed that by 2050 the EU could source 80% of its transport fuel needs from biofuels.

The comprehensive study titled “The Vision Scenario for the European Union”, commissioned on behalf of The Greens / European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament, concludes that the use of biofuels in the EU transport sector will increase to 10% in 2020, 25% in 2030 and 80% in 2050.

These revelations come at a time when the European Commission has only recently stated that biofuels in particular have the potential to replace Europe’s addiction to fossil fuel energy and make transport sustainable by 2050(1). “This is good news for the industry. This study highlights the vital role that biofuels will play in meeting the future energy needs of the transport sector in Europe”, said Rob Vierhout, ePURE’s Secretary General.

“The use of biofuels contributes towards decarbonising the European transport sector and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and in tandem also provides a sustainable energy source that strengthen domestic energy security”, said Mr. Vierhout.

In Europe, all sectors covered by the Kyoto Protocol have decreased their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions since 1990 except one: transport. Transport emissions have increased since then by almost 30% and now represent over one fifth of total GHG emissions in the EU(2). "This fact strongly underlines why it is vital that Europe turns to biofuels now. A strong European biofuel sector will be better placed to invest in the advanced biofuels that will be crucial for decarbonising transport by 2050”, Mr. Vierhout points out.

“European policy-makers must recognise the important findings in this report, particularly as this unequivocal demand for substantial biofuel growth is coming from the Greens. It is clear that the European public want more biofuels(3) and, as this study shows, biofuels are the only here-and-now solution to fuelling the European transport sector sustainably”, he added.

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The Vision Scenario for the European Union

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