New regulations to double the use of sustainable renewable fuels by 2020

Increasing the use of renewable fuels will reduce carbon emissions, tackle climate change and to make the transport sector as sustainable as possible.

New biofuel targets coming into force on Sunday (15 April 2018) will double the use of renewable fuels in the UK transport sector within 15 years, cutting the sector’s reliance on imported diesel.

Changes to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) will compel owners of transport fuel who supply at least 450,000 litres a year or more, to make sure the mix is at least 12.4% biofuel by 2032.

Currently the industry, which supplies fuel to transport companies such as haulage firms and airlines, is only expected to meet a target of 4.75% biofuel.

The government is also challenging the sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6% by 2020 – which coupled with the RTFO changes will support the UK’s low carbon fuel industry while helping make sure the UK transport sector is one of the most sustainable in the world.

The key changes to the scheme are:

• Increasing the biofuels volume target from the current 4.75% to 9.75% in 2020, and 12.4% in 2032
• Setting an additional target for advanced waste-based renewable fuels, starting at 0.1% in 2019 and rising to 2.8% in 2032
• Setting a sustainable level for crop biofuels, an initial maximum cap of 4% of fuel in 2018, reducing annually from 2021 to reach 3% in 2026 and 2% in 2032
• Bringing renewable aviation fuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin into the scheme.

For more on this, visit Department for Transport.