Fact vs Fiction

We don’t have enough crops to produce food and biofuels

Worldwide there is plenty of arable land (presently uncultivated) that can be used for producing crops, if the level of agricultural investment which is currently lacking is improved. The new market for crops provided by biofuels will ensure that farmers in the UK, and in developing countries, get fair prices for what they grow. Not all suitable agricultural land is in use at present and farmers will respond to increased demand by additional planting / production. In addition, the main by-products in the production of many biofuels provide high-protein animal feed for the livestock sector which will reduce the amount of land needed to grow dedicated protein crops. Furthermore, in the UK we throw away around 20 million tonnes of food every year. (Source: WRAP).

The UK Biofuels Industry is not delivering on its promises

Biofuels produced in the UK are delivering savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (bioethanol produced by British Sugar reduces GHG by around 70%). The companies that sell the fuel – that are obliged by law to include a percentage of biofuels in their fuel – can choose where they source their biofuels from. Biofuels production in this country will deliver GHG savings and be produced in an environmentally friendly way, and help to reduce global warning.

Biofuels are bad because they are leading to forests being destroyed, and people and animals losing their homes

There are good ways of producing biofuels and bad ways. Cutting down forests and destroying habitats in order to plant crops to produce food, cosmetics, or alternative energy sources such as biofuels is totally unacceptable. We don’t want biofuels produced this way in the UK, and the industry and the UK government will do everything it can to ensure that such biofuels are not used here. Sustainability reporting already exists in the UK, and standards will be enforced by law from 2010, under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.. The reports cover deforestation, air, water and soil quality as well as social effects like the treatment of workers and respect for the rights of local people. UK biofuels will therefore provide a major driver for sustainable development in all agricultural production in the future.

If we grow biofuels on land previously used for food, we will have to use uncultivated land to grow food, which can’t be good.

This is not necessarily so. With crops such as wheat used to make bioethanol, and oilseed rape used for biodiesel, you actually get two products from one crop. The co-products from these processes are used to produce animal food. In fact as much animal food is produced as biofuel. Producing food for the animals which we use for meat and eggs is a really important issue and biofuels offer a way of producing food and fuel. Overall we do need to improve our productivity, and to look carefully at the way we use land if we are to meet the world’s need in the future. The work on producing sustainable biofuels is leading the way in setting standards for all future land usage.

If we use crops for biofuels, people will go hungry

There is huge potential worldwide for additional land to be used to produce crops, and for growers to become efficient. Sadly, even when Europe had surpluses of crops, people still went hungry. Worldwide, daily food production is over 4lb per person, but over half the food produced is wasted. The biggest problems with food supply are not shortage of land but political instability and lack of investment. Some experts believe that the additional markets provided by biofuels could help to stimulate crop production in many countries, and bring with it investment in infrastructure boosting the economies of these countries. These crops are still suitable for food and can easily be diverted into food production in times of crisis.

Using crops for biofuels is forcing up the price of food in the shops

Additional demand for any crop will have some effect on prices over time, but recent rises in raw material (cereals and oilseeds) prices have been as a result of many factors: poor weather, poor harvests, increased food demand in emerging economies like China and India and increased energy prices. Also remember that the price of raw material represents only a tiny proportion of the total cost of most food products. Higher prices for the food on our shelves are not just down to increases in the cost of commodities. Energy costs for transport, processing and storage all play their role. Indeed, the cost of wheat only represents a small part of the cost of a loaf of bread. Other costs, such as manufacturing and advertising, represent a much larger proportion.

Biofuels will not deliver the carbon savings that they are meant to

It is true that some scientific studies have shown that some biofuels do not deliver the carbon savings that we need to make to help to reduce climate change (and global warming). However, other studies show that biofuels are much better for the environment, delivering around 70% savings in the UK compared to traditional fossil fuels (British Sugar, 2008). The UK government is committed to introducing standards that will ensure that the only biofuels used in this country are those that help reduce climate change. The carbon saving provided by each litre of biofuel has been monitored since April 2008, and carbon saving standards will be enforced by law from 2010 onwards, when the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive will set a minimum level of carbon saving.

Making biofuels uses more energy than they produce

This is simply not true. Biofuels are one of the few fuels that actually produce more energy than they use in the production process (FAO Report on The State of Food and Agriculture – Biofuels: prospects, risks and opportunities, October 2008, p17). Research in the UK has shown that biodiesel can produce energy savings of 97% compared to normal diesel, if the rapemeal which is produced as a result of the processing is used as a source of fuel. (North East Biofuel Supply Chain Carbon Intensity Assessment (2006)).

Growing biofuels in the UK will cause damage to the environment

Many UK farmers are involved in environmental schemes, specifically aimed at promoting and protecting wildlife. These schemes cover over 7.5 million hectares of land in the UK. (Source: NFU)

Biofuels in the UK will be grown on ‘set-aside’ land that should be used to improve the environment

The whole purpose of set-aside was to take land out of production due to surpluses of cereals in the EU, rather than to help the environment, so bringing it back into production now makes sense to meet increased demand. UK cereal growers are very aware of their environmental responsibilities. In addition to environmental legislation that affects all farmers, many take part in schemes which provide additional environmental benefits, for instance around 90% of the crops produced in England come from farms in the Assured Combinable Crops Scheme (ACCS), a farm assurance scheme that ensures that farmers comply with certain standards. ACCS is part of the overall scheme which uses the Red Tractor logo that appears on food in the shops.

The biofuels industry is just interested in money and doesn’t care about the environment

The UK biofuels industry is wholly committed to producing biofuels that are sustainable and genuinely good for the environment. The oil companies (who choose which biofuels to supply) are legally obliged to report on the carbon savings and sustainability of the biofuels they sell and standards in these areas will be enforced by law from 2010, under the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive. The UK is leading the world in developing carbon saving and sustainability accreditation. As well as being a positive thing, this also makes good commercial sense.

We should put a moratorium on biofuels production until we have a way of ensuring that all biofuels are sustainable

If the UK or Europe decides to put a moratorium on biofuels production, it won’t do anything to combat climate change, halt deforestation or feed the hungry in developing countries. Other countries will simply carry on without us and we will have missed the chance to lead the world in introducing enforceable sustainability standards.

The next generation of biofuels will provide better carbon savings and be more sustainable. We should wait until we can produce these.

Biofuels made from agricultural waste and from non-food crops generally known as 2nd generation biofuels may offer a long-term solution to the world’s needs for renewable fuels; however, they cannot yet be produced on a large-scale commercial basis. Huge investment and research is required before this can be achieved. First generation biofuels will establish a crucial infrastructure and industry. Without a working market for current biofuels it will be all but impossible for these advanced technologies to become commercially viable.