A Draft Response By IrBEA To The Biofuels Obligation Scheme Consultation

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The Biofuels Obligation Scheme was introduced in 2010 and requires suppliers of motor fuel to ensure that biofuels make up a certain percentage of national annual fuel sales.  This is known as the biofuel obligation rate and is currently set at 8%. DCCAE want the public to know that the biofuel obligation rate has an important role to play in helping Ireland meet its 2020 renewable energy targets.   Ireland is committed to ensuring that by 2020, 10% of the energy consumed in the transport sector will come from renewable energy sources.  In order to meet this target, it will be necessary to increase the biofuels obligation rate to approximately 12%.

The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment is seeking views in relation to implementing a phased increase in the biofuel obligation rate and on how the scheme could be developed in the future. View the consultation document from DCCAE on future increases in the biofuels obligation rate here and details regarding public submissions on the website.

IrBEA have drafted a response to the recent Biofuels Obligation Scheme Consultation pdf here (download here)

Some key issues within the document include:

  • Increasing the blend rate to 10% from 2019 to 12% from 2020?
  • Incentivising the inclusion of more advanced biofuels – such as biomethane (cap on first generation biofuels)
  • Introducing the BOS into the heating sector?