October 8, 2008

Unilever, the maker of some of the best known brands in the high street, including; Vaseline, Hellmans, PG Tips and Persil, has added it’s voice to calls for the scrapping of mandatory biofuel targets.  The call will be made to the Commonwealth finance ministers, meeting in St Lucia today to discuss improving food security and prevention of famine. 

The concern centres on the fact that large amounts of land are now being used to grow biofuels at the expense of food production.  Farmers are incentivized to grow biofuels over regular food crops via subsidies.  It’s hoped that if ministers can agree with the recommendations to the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank at their summits in Washington later in the week. 

Mohan Kaul, director general of the CBC, said: "This would be the first major world signal to stop the current rush to produce energy from biofuels that has impacted on food, security and prices."

Biofuels have been viewed as something of a get out of jail free card by the governments of the west.  The oil produced from food crops such as maize or sugar cane, is blended in with the petrol or diesel sold at the pumps, thereby reducing the amount of fossil fuel used directly by motorists.  By 2010 all pumps in the UK must include 5% biofuel in pumped petrol or diesel, although this is under review in the light of recent findings.

Environmental campaigners have opposed the programme on a number of different grounds.  A large amount of land formerly used for food and livestock crop farming is now used to produce biofuel crops, which has significantly raised food costs and reduced supplies.  Biofuels from sugar cane harvested in Brazil have 10% of the carbon footprint of traditional fuel, while maize-based fuels in the US have at least 80% to 90%, so while contributing to a worldwide food poverty they are almost as polluting as fossil fuels.

The level of subsidies available have started a rush from farmers to take advantage of them.  As a result there have been large areas of rainforest cleared in order to grow more biofuel crops.  Environmentalists estimate that deforestation is responsible for one-quarter of the world's emissions. The International Food Policy Research Institute, estimates that the forecast increase in biofuel production will result in maize prices increasing by more than two-thirds in coming years.  As evidence mounts against

With great advances being made in battery and hydrogen powered cars, as well as the frugal consumption for common rail diesel units surely it’s time to just ditch the biofuel policy and let engineers help is make our fuel power us further.

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