Biodiesel Benefits Asserted in UK, Finland & New Zealand

04.04.08

In the UK, the head of the National Farmers Union says that all available evidence indicates that biofuels manufactured from crops grown in a sustainable way deliver significant reductions in greenhouse gases compared with fossil fuels when measured over the full cycle of production and use. For biodiesel made from rapeseed, the average saving is around 53%, and 64% for ethanol, according to the Central Science Laboratory.

In Finland, B100 biodiesel produced by Neste Oil will be used in Helsingin Bussiliikenne buses as part of a collaborative between the Helsinki Metropolitan Area Council, Helsinki City Transport, Proventia, and Neste Oil. Previous tests using B100 indicated a reduction in nitric oxide emissions by about 15%, particulate emissions by about 30%, and the greenhouse gas emissions for the entire life cycle of the fuel by 50% compared to fossil diesel.

In New Zealand, biodiesel produced from rapeseed grown and produced in the South Island by Biodiesel New Zealand is sustainable, emitting around 50% less carbon dioxide over its life cycle than mineral diesel, according to a new report by the company. This exceeds the 35% criteria proposed by the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment. It is also 55% more energy-efficient than petroleum diesel. Biodiesel New Zealand, a subsidiary of Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd., currently produces biodiesel from used cooking oil and will expand production to use rapeseed as a feedstock next year.

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