OECD/ITF Joint Transport Research Centre Discussion Papers
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- Is continued by :
- International Transport Forum Discussion Papers
The International Transport Forum at the OECD is an intergovernmental organisation with 52 member countries. It acts as a strategic think tank for transport policy and organizes an annual summit of ministers. Our work is underpinned by economic research, statistics collection and policy analysis, often undertaken in collaboration with many of the world's leading research figures in academia, business and government. This series of Discussion Papers is intended to disseminate the International Transport Forum’s research findings rapidly among specialists in the field concerned.
- ISSN: 20708270 (online)
- https://doi.org/10.1787/20708270
Sustainable Biofuels for the Transport Sector
The transport sector is almost fully dependent on oil-derived products and in both the
United States and in Europe this sector contributes with about one third of total
energy consumption and about 30 % of the CO2 emissions. The transport sector is
forecasted to contribute with 90 % of the increase in CO2 emissions projected for EU
in 2010. With the increasing use of oil for transport in China, India and other Asian
countries the rush for oil has resulted in increasing prices on oil and a push for
production of oil substitutes.
Finding alternatives is a key issue and biofuels are expected to be the easiest
alternative fuel as no significant changes in the infrastructure or in established
vehicles and engines are required. Biomasses play a unique role as raw materials
for the production of transport fuels as outlined by US Department of Energy. It is important to understand that biofuels are not always “bio”- and in some situations
large scale production will lead to a larger over-all use of fossil fuel and thereby a
larger emission of carbon dioxide. Biodiesel produced from rape seed and bioethanol
produced from corn might be questionable when it comes to the net energy
produced. Furthermore, production of these types of biofuels will occupy land, which
might be used for food production and it can further lead to loss of rainforest or
deforestation in parts of the world where the new opportunities opens for new
developments.
Keywords: biofuels
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