Biofuels: From unsustainable crops to dubious waste?

Europe pioneered the use of biofuels a decade ago as ‘renewable’ alternatives to fossil fuels. The consequences have been largely disastrous. Instead of reducing emissions it drove palm oil production, which ended up being worse than the fossil diesel it replaced.

Europe is gradually ditching palm oil in favour of other crops and so-called ‘waste’ feedstocks. In this report, T&E looks at Europe’s changing biofuels market and whether these new fuels represent a new start for biofuels or simply a repackaging of the same problems.