Pressrelease - Biofuels: EU plans favour the oil giants

P R E S S R E L E A S E

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Email: energy*folkecenter.dk

The plans of the EU to add 8% biodiesel to ordinary diesel oil should be followed up by initiatives to establish tax exemption for cars running on 100% pure plant oil. This will create an enhanced environmental awareness in the population, along with great environmental advantages including prevention of groundwater pollution, and it will present a viable starting point for the transition to a future transport sector with pure energy forms.

The agricultural industry will also benefit from this. Many farmers in Germany and Denmark have already invested in equipment for the combined production of concentrates and plant oil. With exemption from taxes it will be feasible to run buses, taxis, and private cars, exclusively on pure plant oil. Like other renewable energy forms, the production of plant oil is decentralised. In order to minimize the transport of oil and concentrates it is more efficient to place the production and use within the local community, which will then obtain the economic benefits thereby.

With 8% biodiesel in the tank as proposed by the EU, the large oil companies will be the sole beneficiaries and gain all the benefits by an increased use of biodiesel. In contrast, it will be impossible for the individual motorists to get a feeling that they contribute actively to a better environment in this way. A further drawback is that the EU plans will not lead to new and more efficient car engines, which can run on pure biofuels.

In terms of energy economy, plant oil is far better than the biodiesel, which EU plans to mix into the ordinary diesel oil. According to calculations in Germany and Denmark biodiesel production requires twice as much energy as plant oil. In fact, it only takes 13 litres of oil to procure 100 litres of plant oil, and this is just about the same amount as for ordinary diesel oil.

Furthermore the edible plant oil is completely safe with regard to drinking water, whereas biodiesel is placed in the water pollution class WGK 1, the same class as methanol and heavy fuel oil, according to the German water hazard classification system (VwVwS).

Now that the EU has made it clear that more effort should be put into using natural energy forms - also in the transport sector - it is time for the European politicians to make sure that citizens with environmental awareness are rewarded when they run their cars on an engine fuel that is non-poisonous, does not harm the groundwater, and is produced with an especially low energy consumption.

It should also be welcomed that a resulting new development of engines which can run on biofuels will be a great advantage for the developing countries because it will enable them to use their own plant oil resources instead of imported fossil fuels.

or contact Mr. Preben Maegaard on phone numbers +45 9795 6600 or +45 2127 6677, or Mr. Niels Ansø on +45 4062 6292 or through NA*folkecenter.dk