PRESS RELEASES
Biodiesel is not bioethanol
- BIOPETROL welcomes environment minister Gabriel’s initiative
- The objectives of climate protection can be achieved with biodiesel
Zug / Düsseldorf, 3 April 2008. BIOPETROL INDUSTRIES AG, a leading European manufacturer of biodiesel, welcomes the move by environment minister Gabriel to halt the planned blending of bioethanol (E10). This is in the interest of motorists, since a great many motor vehicles are unable to run on blended bioethanol. His decision is also in the interest of the objectives of climate protection, since the required capacity of more than three million tonnes of ethanol annually is not available in Europe and there is currently no guarantee that imported ethanol comes from sustainable production.
At the same time, BIOPETROL explicitly draws attention to the fact that biodiesel is not bioethanol! The current discussion about E10 concerns bioethanol exclusively. It does not concern the use of biodiesel, which is currently the most important regenerative fuel. A great many motor vehicles, and virtually all commercial vehicles, have an operating permit enabling them to use pure biodiesel (B100). All other diesel vehicles can run on a blend of at least ten per cent biodiesel. Many European and Asian vehicles are even designed for a blending quota of up to 30 per cent. Using that blend, a diesel vehicle with an average consumption of seven litres per 100 kilometres could now already comply with the desired CO2 limit of less than 130 g/km.
In recent years, the German biodiesel industry has invested billions of euros in creating productive capacities amounting to five million tonnes per year. Biodiesel can be produced from domestic oil plants while conserving resources and without restricting the areas under cultivation for food, while at the same time yielding high-quality animal food (rape cake) and valuable composite materials (bioglycerine). Exploiting the existing biodiesel capacity in Germany can now already reduce CO2 emissions by more than ten million tonnes annually.
We therefore say to the Federal Government:
- Stop the blending of ethanol (E10), in the interest of drivers.
- Support the German biodiesel industry in the interest of the German objectives of climate protection as well as those of European vegetable and livestock farming.
- Stick to your climate protection objectives: the German biodiesel industry can already meet them in full today.
- Increase the blending quota for biodiesel if necessary, until an economically and ecologically viable solution can be found for bioethanol.
- Biodiesel in its pure form (B100) can be used by all commercial vehicles, and blends of up to 30% are now already technically feasible for cars, without problems.
- Prohibit biodiesel imports into Europe from questionable sources or those of dubious sustainability (B99).
- Make a contribution to public understanding by stressing in official statements the clear distinction between biodiesel and bioethanol.
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