National Express pulls out of biofuels trial citing environment doubts
Mon 06 August 2007
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The leading bus operator, National Express, has suspended a biodiesel trial after consultations with environment groups. The company said it had doubts over whether the trial was doing more good than harm to the environment.
The Guardian reported that National Express said there is "considerable concern" that biofuel production - from crops including sugar cane and rapeseed - will destroy natural habitats and increase the cost of food farming in developing countries.
Richard Bowker, National Express chief executive, said the coach, bus and rail group would continue to look at such initiatives, but its biofuel study underlined that "what appears to be the green option may not actually be green after all".
"Biofuels may well have a role to play in helping us reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases arising from transport operations in the future and we are not dismissing the role they may play in the future, but based on the evidence today I think it is vital that we wait for issues relating to the sustainability of supply are resolved before we press ahead with trials of biodiesel."
National Express were reported as saying that a number of scientific studies showed the benefits of biofuels were "frequently exaggerated" and carbon emissions could be higher than from traditional oil because of the intensive farming methods behind its manufacture.
The company said, however, that it remained interested in "second generation" biofuels that would use non-food crops such as shrubs, straw and wood chips.
The LowCVP has been working closely with the Government to develop the methodology for the carbon and sustainability reporting scheme for biofuels that will be introduced as a part of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.
Commenting on the same story, the LowCVP Director, Greg Archer, said (as reported in Professional Engineering) he was disappointed that people appear to be frightened off biofuels trials.
"There is considerable effort to ensure that the biofuels sourced in the UK are sustainable...if National Express wanted to know that the biofuels they are sourcing are from sustainable sources, there are plenty of companies that could guarantee that."
"The reporting scheme is entirely new and is a robust way of going forward. No other government is doing anything similar. Biofuels are an environmental product and they need to deliver environmental benefits," Greg Archer added.
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