Ireland’s biofuel market could be seeing an increase in coming years, thanks to an increase in the Biofuel Obligation Scheme. This would increase the percentage of biofuels that road transport fuel suppliers are obligated to bring to market.

The scheme was introduced in July 2010 as the primary means to meet the target of 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020.

Speaking recently at an Oireachtas hearing, Minister Pat Rabbitte said: “The government is committed to increasing renewable energy in the electricity, transport and heating sectors in order to meet the binding target.

“The Biofuel Obligation Scheme works by obligating large road transport fuel suppliers to bring a certain amount of biofuels to the market. The current obligation is 6% by volume, which I increased from 4% at the beginning of this year and which will be increased further in the coming years. This will see Ireland’s biofuel market grow even further by 2020 and will continue to create opportunities for indigenous industry to produce biofuels here in Ireland.”

At present, just over 5% of sugar beet production in the EU is consumed in the EU as biofuel.