Critical analysis of the European Union directive which regulates the use of biofuels: An approach to the Spanish case

• Published in: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews Vol. 13; no. 9; pp. 2675 - 2681
• Main Authors: Sobrino, Fernando Hernández, Monroy, Carlos Rodríguez
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2009; Elsevier
• Series: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
• Subjects: Alcohols: methanol, ethanol, etc; Alternative fuels. Production and utilization; Applied sciences; Bioethanol; Biofuel; Carbon dioxide; Citric waste; Diesel fuels; Economic data; Energy; Energy economics; Energy policy; Ethanol; Ethanol Bioethanol Biofuel Citric waste EU directive 2003; EU directive 2003/30/EC; European union; Exact sciences and technology; Fuels; Gasoline; General, economic and professional studies; Natural energy; Natural gas; Petrol; Promotion; Europe; Spain; European Union; Japan, Honshu, Kyoto Prefect., Kyoto; EU directive 2003/30/EC; Bioethanol; Biofuel; Ethanol; Citric waste; Citrus fruit; Carbon dioxide; Energy policy; Pollutant emission; Implementation; Vegetal waste; Case study; Energy balance; Renewable energy; European directive; Reliability of supply; Technicoeconomic study; Critical study; Electric power production; Material balance
• ISSN: 1364-0321; 1879-0690
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2009.05.003

For more than a decade we have lived in a period where the so-called “sustainability” is crucial and is motivated primarily by the social awareness of achieving a balance between human development and the conservation of the environment. This philosophy has a direct and inevitable impact on business and politics. Governments have long since been developing standards and encouraging various diverse initiatives whose aim is to defend the environment. In recent times, the global debate on the environment has been centred on CO 2 emissions. This gas is the major cause of the “greenhouse effect” and people are more concerned with the idea that the emissions of this gas should be minimized. As a result of this concern, the Kyoto Protocol was enacted and subscribed to by many countries, setting the maximum gas emissions for them. Fossil fuels are a major source of CO 2 emissions. In 2003 the European Union (EU) directive 2003/30/EC [2003/30/EC Directive of the European Parliament and the Council—8th may 2003. On the promotion of the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels for transport] was developed with the aim of promoting the use of biofuels as a substitute for diesel or petrol among European Union countries as well as to contribute to fulfilling the commitments on climate change, security of supply in environmentally friendly conditions and the promotion of renewable energy sources. In order to achieve these goals, the directive forces all EU members to ensure that at least 5.75% of all petrol and diesel fuels sold for transport purposes are biofuels before December 31 of 2010. European Union countries have social and economic characteristics unique to themselves. The energy dependence from foreign sources, the features of the agricultural sector or the degree of industrialization varies greatly from one country to another. In this context, it is questionable whether the obligation imposed by this directive applies to achieve uniform and/or identical goals in each of the countries involved and whether the actions of the various governments are also aligned with these goals.