Government says RTFO will save a million tonnes of CO2
Tue 11 October 2005
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The Government has formally announced the introduction of a Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation that will require 5% of all fuel sold on UK forecourts to come from a renewable source by 2010. The Obligation will mean a 20-fold increase in biofuels sales over today's levels.
Speaking at the DfT's Environmentally Friendly Vehicles Conference in Birmingham, Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said that the measure should save around 1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in 2010 - the equivalent of taking a million cars off the road. He added that carbon savings could also increase in future years.
To help make sure that biofuels are sourced sustainably, the Government recoginises the importance of carbon certification and environmental assurance - issues that have been highlighted in work carried out by the LowCVP. Obligated companies would be required to report on the level of carbon savings achieved and on the sustainability of their supplies.
The announcement was generally welcomed by stakeholders, though some reserved judgement until full details of how the scheme will work become available. The Government says that it will consult on these details in due course.
Related Links
Department for Transport - RTFO feasibility report and resources page
LowCVP - RTFO press release link
Department for Transport Press Release
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