German Government Could Jettison Higher Biofuel Target

The German government has said it might scrap plans for a 5 percent rise in the amount of biofuel added to gasoline. The move has been prompted by concerns about motorists with cars that are not biofuel compatible.

The German automobile association ADAC has warned that up to 1.5 million drivers will be unable to use the ethanol-richer gasoline, forcing them to switch to more expensive premium fuels when it is introduced.
The government had based its plans on statistics from the German car industry which estimated that around 375,000 car owners would be adversely affected.

Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel has said on Friday, Feb. 22, that the measure to introduce a 10 percent blending rate would be torpedoed if the ADAC’s statistics proved to be correct.

This is just the latest setback to the biofuel lobby. Critics have recently attacked the social and environmental cost of producing fuel from plants.

Deutsche Welle