Europe is going to transfer to biofuels of agricultural wastes
Demonstrations of European activists have led to the result when the content of vegetable oils in fuels must not exceed 5%. Until recently biofuel E10 was the most popular in the EU, the biological additives in it consist 10%. However, the strategy according to which bio- and agricultural wastes will be used for biofuel production has already been developed. At the same time the use of grains which can be applied as food, will be minimized.
Permanently rising prices for grain and other food products made ​​EU authorities to review their policies in relation to the production of alternative energy resources. At a joint press conference the Commissioner for energy Gunther Oettinger and the Commissioner for climate Connie Hedegart approved the plan to reduce the consumption of biofuels. There are many supporters of this idea among EU politicians. They believe, it is extremely unwise to produce biodiesel of the so valuable food, moreover it seriously harms both humans and the environment.
European Commissioners noted that the complete cessation of alternative fuels is not the aim of such policy. It is only necessary to reduce production for some time in order to convert the companies to further biofuel production of agricultural wastes instead of food crops. It is planned that by 2020 the share of energy resources in the total energy balance of Europe will be 10%.
Energy ministers in the EU are aware that 10% figure still seems elusive. However, it is possible. Moreover, the production of energy from agro and biowastes does not require land devastation and depriving people of valuable food.
There is one problem connected with this strategy - the reduction of biofuel production and consumption will invariably lead to higher unemployment in the EU. However, the members of NGO Oxfam urged European authorities to sacrifice this factor for the sake of millions of people suffering from food shortages.
It should be noted that Ukraine is directly connected with this issue, as it is the largest supplier of rapeseed in the EU. Its main customers are such countries as Poland (leading importer of Ukrainian rapeseed, 2011/2012 - 325 thousand tons), France (230,000 tons), the Netherlands (168,000 tons), Belgium (104,000 tons) and Germany (65,000 tons ). The innovations in European legislation definitely affect the volumes of rapeseed supplies from Ukraine.
