Vivergo Response to Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Proposals.

Mark Chesworth, Managing Director at Vivergo Fuels, the UK’s largest producer of bioethanol reluctantly welcomed the Government’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation proposals:

“Whilst we welcome the Government raising the renewable blending obligation and their increasing the recommended crop cap to an initial 4%, indicating that they have taken on board some of the concerns of the 93% of stakeholders who called for a high cap, we remain concerned about the proposed post 2020 year-on-year reduction. This decreasing cap is predicated on a number of uncertainties and could have serious consequences for the long-term future of the British bioethanol industry, jobs in the North of England and domestic agriculture.

“We agree with the Transport Minister Jesse Norman MP that E10 fuel makes ‘achieving our targets easier and potentially more cost effective, as well as providing an economic boost to domestic producers’. However, we would question whether E10 can be successfully introduced and sustained with a crop cap which, even at its highest point, is the lowest in Europe. We would therefore call on the Government to mandate E10, enabling a swift co-ordinated roll-out and a clear and consistent message to consumers.”