EU launches Biofuels Technology Platform

The EU launched its Biofuels Technology Platform with the brief that by 2030 25 per cent of transport energy will come from biofuels. Research will in particular aim find ways of utilising a wider range of feedstock, make use of whole plants, and develop biomass plants that will grow in areas that are unsuitable for food crops.

At the same time the vision is that new biofuels will be compatible with existing infrastructure and vehicle engines.

The platform has the backing of the pan-European industry body, EuropaBio, which announced the formation of a Biofuels Task force and said that two major players in the energy sector, Total and BP have joined.

The mission of the task force is to “advocate coherently, favourable policies, strategies, regulations and their implementation for research, finance and market access of biofuels as one of the pillar of the competitive and sustainable European knowledge bio-based economy, increasing the value of plants and renewable materials of agriculture and forestry origin.”

Johan Vanhemelrijck, EuropaBio’s secretary general, said the initiative, would “help meet Europe’s carbon dioxide emission reduction targets, reduce our dependence on oil imports and provide another useful income stream for our farmers”.

Meanwhile, EuropaBio added its voice to another joint European strategy in the related field of industrial biotechnology. The EU has awarded €3 million to support development of ERA Industrial Biotechnology, (ERA-IB) a network linking 16 research organisations in 12 countries.

The network will support researchers working on the sustainable production of chemicals from biological feedstock, using microorganisms and novel enzymes. The €3 million will pay for supporting infrastructure and database support over five years. ERA-IB will also study the societal impact of moving to a bio-based chemical industry.