'Only UK processed biofuels can be sustainable'

On the day the Government announced the introduction of a 5% biofuel obligation by 2010, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), which has been campaigning for this for many years, applauded the move but asked if 'sustainable sourcing' meant that our home grown fuels will be home processed too.

Newly elected CLA Deputy President Henry Aybrey-Fletcher, said, 'In our recent policy launch Renewable Energy -more than wind?, CLA argued that land managers could tackle climate change through initiatives like this - we are particularly pleased about the proposal of a carbon and sustainability assurance scheme as part of the Obligation."

He added: "To ensure the Government's proposal that biofuels are 'sourced sustainably' surely this can only mean that the processing should be carried out locally within the United Kingdom. That would be the best option for minimum carbon emissions; sending oilseed rape or wheat half way across Europe to be processed and then back again by truck would defeat the purpose of the Obligation."