Campaign is stepped up

Apr 16 2008 Evening Gazette

THE Back Our Biofuels campaign gathered pace today as environmentalists launched another assault on the industry.

One leading Tees-based renewables boss slammed claims by the RSPB that biofuels were contributing to climate change and destroying habitats.

The group used the day the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) came into force, requiring all petrol and diesel sold on the forecourt to contain a minimum 2.5% biofuels, to launch its attack.

But CEO of Ensus, Alwyn Hughes, hit back, saying that Europe’s capacity for growing wheat for bioethanol could help reduce deforestation.

He said: “If more wheat is grown in Europe, Britain is less reliant on soy imports and the risk of deforestation (caused by mass soy production overseas) is reduced.”

Responsible for the £250m bioethanol plant at Wilton, Ensus is supporting the Evening Gazette’s Back our Biofuels campaign, which is ramping up pressure on the European Commission and British government to tackle heavily discounted US subsidies and encourage more home-grown biofuel production.

A Gazette poll showed overwhelming support for the campaign, with 91% believing Gordon Brown should do more to back Teesside’s biofuels industry.