Biofuels World Potentials – What is left for Europe?

摘要

The emerging biofuels industry is starting to boom worldwide as various countries are operating or announcing promotion programmes for biofuels as an alternative fuel or additive for transportation. Motivations vary widely including energy security, climate change mitigation and diversification of energy supply sources among the most frequently observed. In addition, biofuels are considered by many governments and politicians to have a positive impact on rural and economic development. However, further research on sustainability contributions for biofuels and on competition issues with agricultural commodities and other bioenergy forms are urgent. rnPresently, Brazil and the United States are the largest producers of bioethanol in the world while some European countries like Germany, accounts as the world largest biodiesel producer. Furthermore, emerging economies like China and India have also announced their biofuels programmes in the last months. If all these political plans worldwide are to be realized, significant increases in production require substantial investments to build up capacity based on comparative advantages and competition factors in order to satisfy increasing biofuels demand globally. rnIn light of these circumstances, it is very likely that biofuel trade will intensify significantly in the coming years worldwide. rnThis paper focuses on international biofuel trade potentials taking into account sustainability issues for biofuels. The paper has the objective to present preliminary results as part of a recently started EU Commission research project on Renewable Energy Scenarios and Biofuels Trade options for the EU. Little research has been done in this field worldwide until now. rnThis work aims to contribute to the emerging discussion on biofuels trade possibilities as well as make an initial assessment of possible future sustainability requirements for imported biofuels. These are results of an ongoing investigation and should therefore be considered as initial ones. The author will be very grateful for comments, critics and ideas for further improvement and refining.