Why biofuels?

Boom, bust, or both, global demand for energy looks set to increase by at least 50% over the next 20 years, driven by population growth and rapid industrialization in developing economies. Global supply of fossil fuels is already consolidating, with 70% of the world’s oil now sourced from just six countries and 50% of its natural gas produced in just three

These statistics highlight some pressing questions. Can we meet growing demand for energy? Can we guarantee secure energy supplies? Can we tackle climate change if we rely solely on conventional fossil fuels to meet growing demand?

BP and biofuels

We’ve been in the energy business long enough to know that there are no easy answers – but we’re also convinced that using more biofuels (fuels made from renewable biomass) in the overall ‘energy mix’ can help us reduce global greenhouse gas levels significantly and with immediate impact.

We’re not alone – the EU has committed to reducing its overall emissions to at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020. One of the ways it hopes to achieve this is by increasing the share of renewable fuels in energy use, including biofuels, to 20% by 2020. The US plans to increase the amount of biofuels it uses from 9 billion US gallons in 2008 to 36 billion by 2022.

Doing biofuels well

Biofuels make up around 3% of transport fuels used today. If we do biofuels well this could rise to 30% or even more by 2050, delivering CO2 reductions from road transport of 20% or more. We also believe they can help to improve security of energy supply and drive innovation and improvements in agriculture.

Potential maximum biofuel content in fuels for unmodified vehicles

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Big in Brazil!

Can we really make a significant switch from from fossil fuels to biofuels in our cars? It won’t be easy, but one country has already provided a route map. Back in the 1970s, Brazil diversified its energy mix to combat concerns about energy security – investing in alternative energy sources, including hydro-electricity and biofuels. Today, 45% of its energy comes from renewable sources and around 90% of all Brazilian road vehicles now have 'flex fuel' engines that can run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol, produced from sugar cane. Has this made a significant difference to the country’s CO2 emissions? The answer is yes, with 600 million tonnes of CO2 avoided since the 1970s. (Source: UNICA)