Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 October 2012
115. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Communications; Energy and Natural Resources his views on the EU Commission proposals that aim to cap crop based bio-fuel production to a maximum of 5% of total transport fuel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43957/12]
View answerI have not received any proposal from the EU Commission in relation to capping crop-based biofuel production. However, I understand that a proposal relating to the use of certain biofuels will be circulated to Member States in the coming weeks. Once I receive this, I will consider its implications for renewable energy policy and the further development of a sustainable biofuel sector in Ireland. Such considerations will inform Ireland's position with respect to the proposed amendments. Currently the EU Renewable Energy Directive requires Member States to meet a target of 10% of renewable energy in transport by 2020. The Directive also specifies a set of sustainability criteria that must be applied to biofuels, before they can be counted towards a Member State's renewable energy transport target. Under these criteria biofuels may not be made from raw materials originating from tropical forests or recently deforested areas, drained peatland, wetland or highly biodiverse areas.
Ireland will meet its renewable energy target in transport primarily through the use of biofuels and the Government intends to meet the obligation under the Renewable Energy Directive through progressively increasing sustainable biofuel penetration combined with an increasing number of electric vehicles on our roads towards the end of the decade. The requirement that biofuels used in meeting Ireland's obligation comply with the Directive's sustainability criteria is legislated for in the National Oil Reserves Agency Act 2007, as amended by the Energy (Biofuel Obligation and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2010 and set out in detail in European Union (Biofuel Sustainability Criteria) Regulations 2012.
In 2011, approximately 2.7% of the energy in road transport came from biofuels. Of these biofuels, over one third was produced from wastes, accounting for 1.11% of the energy used in road transport in 2011. Biofuels from wastes or residues would not be affected by any limit imposed on the use of crop-based biofuel. There is also significant research being undertaken in Ireland and internationally on the development of second generation biofuels, which are not using food based raw materials as input.
