The government has announced the framework for its plans to increase the use of biofuels in the UK.
Secretary for transport, Douglas Alexander, yesterday launched a consultation for the Government’s plan to encourage more motorists to use sustainable fuels, such as E85. And it plans to reward motorists who use them. The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), introduced in 2005, is the commitment to green fuels. The Government wants to 5 percent of all fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from biofuels by 2010. That might not sound like much, but it should save one million tonnes of carbon a year – equivalent to taking a million cars off the road. Will it work? There’s no word yet on exactly how much the rewards for the use of biofuels will be – and this is key for public acceptance. We’ll hear more in mid-September, shortly after the consultation closes.