Clean technology: Are biofuels less efficient?

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Claims by motoring lobbyist AA that mineral only fuel is the more efficient choice are damaging efforts to provide New Zealanders with alternative energy for a low carbon environment, says The Bioenergy Association of New Zealand (BANZ).

BANZ executive officer Brian Cox says reports made by the AA stating tests reveal
ethanol-blended fuel from Gull is not as efficient as mineral only fuels are based on
unscientific findings.

"The AA has made a sweeping conclusion about the effectiveness of biofuels while refusing to say how their tests were carried out - where the fuel was bought, how it was transported or the history of the vehicle used.

"This was not a carefully or well thought out series of research, and it is irresponsible of AA to make conclusions without basing them on
facts."

Mr Cox says the association is disappointed that the AA has based a one-off test on only 15 litres of fuel, which highlights how variable the results can be.

Mr Cox says when it comes to widespread use of biofuels, New Zealand is lagging behind the rest of the world while major economies like Germany promote the use of
biofuels and highlight their effectiveness.

"Every government around the world supports its own biofuels industry, particularly
those that use locally sourced, sustainable and reliable alternatives that can reduce dependence on imported fuels. We seem to persist in paying lip service to protecting our environment, but refusing to accept that biofuels have indeed come of age and they make sense in every way - financially, environmentally and politically."