UK biofuel support from the Chancellor praised by Saab
The United Kingdom doesn't have the potential to grow crops for domestic production of a huge amount of biofuels, but that isn't stopping Great Britain's Chancellor from encouraging biofuel use. The Chancellor announced earlier this year that Britain has entered into a partnership agreement with three countries (Brazil, Mozambique and South Africa) to develop biofuels, but those biofuels are intended for use in southern Africa, not the UK.
Saab Great Britain, with its two E85-ready BioPower models, had asked the UK Government in the middle of November to give more support to domestic biofuel production, and said today it welcomes the chancellor's support of biofuels. The support comes in the form of a standing 20 pence per liter fuel duty rebate on biofuels and a possible increase in tax discounts for company cars that use high-blend biofuels.
Jonathan Nash, Managing Director of Saab Great Britain said that company car drivers make up about half of the light vehicle traffic on UK roads, so this discount could have a large impact.
Related:
- Saab 2.3t BioFuel engine on sale Monday, Saab asks UK for biofuel boost
- Richard Branson promotes alternative fuel movement by driving a Saab 9-5 BioPower
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Howard Lee Harkness 10:57AM (12/07/2006)
"The United Kingdom doesn't have the potential to grow crops for domestic production of a huge amount of biofuels..."
Not so. As reported right here in this blog, algae can be grown in small areas with great lipid yields. A good place for an algae farm is next to an existing conventional coal or gas fired plant, to use the CO2 for increased yield.
Reply
Andy 2:03PM (12/09/2006)
Sadly, this is nothing but greenwashing.
UK, gasoline is already taxed at 47.1pence/litre.
Ethanol is therefore taxed at 27.1pence/litre.
But as you have to burn 1.6 litres of ethanol to equal the energy of 1 litre of gasoline, you'd end up paying 43.4 pence (tax) per 1.6 litres of ethanol.
So in reality, that Chancellors tax take is damn near what it would be on normal gasoline.
Is this an accident? I don't think so.
Andy
Reply