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Dept for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Answer

Mr. Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will estimate the amount of carbon saved from one million tonnes of biodiesel and bioethanol substituted for the equivalent amount of fossil diesel and petrol; and if she will make a statement. [64128] Margaret Beckett: The replacement of one million tonnes of fossil diesel with biodiesel from oilseed rape would save between 500,000 and 700,000 tonnes of carbon. Research into the production of bioethanol from starch or sugar crops generally indicates that slightly less carbon is saved through replacing petrol with bioethanol when compared with replacing fossil diesel with biodiesel. In the Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor confirmed the new duty rate for biodiesel set at 20 pence per litre below the rate for Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel. The Government have also launched a second round of the Green Fuel Challenge inviting bids for pilot projects for biofuels, including bioethanol, which would qualify for duty reductions. The Forum on the Non-Food Uses of Crops is studying the potential of biodiesel and bioethanol. The Government are considering carefully the recommendation of the Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food that duty on biofuels should be reduced to the rates applied to other clean fuels.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

388 c66-7W; 64128

Session

2001-02

Subjects

Biofuels Carbon Fuels Pollution control Petrol Alternative fuels Diesel

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk