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  Yahoo News 28 Apr 07
Dutch propose system for biofuel import
By Mike Corder, Associated Press Writer

Yahoo News 27 Apr 07
Dutch say green fuel is good -- if it's really green

So-called green fuels are fine, but under a proposed law Dutch energy generators who use them will have to show they really do not harm the environment or deprive people of food.

Environment Minister Jacqueline Cramer on Friday received a report which recommended stringent criteria for the use of biomass materials, such as grains, sugar, cellulose increasingly used to generate power and produce biofuel.

"Biomass production should not come at the expense of environmental damage and it should lead to less emissions of greenhouses gases than fossil fuels," the report said. "The production of biomass must not endanger food needs and should contribute to the prosperity of local communities."

Global production of biofuels and power generated directly from the use of biological materials called "biomass" have soared as countries look for alternatives to fossil fuels to fight climate change and solve energy security problems.

But environmentalists say burning tropical forests to clear plantations to produce palm oil or sugar would more than offset that environmental bonus. Biofuels are also in direct competition with food needs over raw materials.

The Dutch report recommends a track-and-trace system to follow a product from a plantation to an energy plant but does not give details. The report is prepared by representatives of non-governmental organizations, research institutes, and energy and food companies, including Shell and Unilever.

Cramer said she would soon discuss the recommendations with the industry.

The new Dutch government, which took over in February, wants to raise the share of renewable energy to 20 percent by 2020 but has yet to come with a detailed policy how to do that.

The previous Dutch cabinet drew criticism for its decision last August to freeze all subsidies for new green energy projects, which it said was motivated by the fact that a multi-year subsidy budget of 8.2 billion euros was depleted.

Government officials had also said they were unhappy with subsidizing palm oil because of environmental damage in the two main producing countries, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Yahoo News 28 Apr 07
Dutch propose system for biofuel import
By Mike Corder, Associated Press Writer

A Dutch commission proposed a system Friday aimed at ensuring that crops used to create biofuels as replacements for oil and gas do not do more harm than good.

In the rush to develop biofuels, forests are burned in Asia to clear land for palm oil, and swaths of the Amazon are stripped of diverse vegetation for soya and sugar plantations for ethanol.

"We all know that biomass potentially can play an important role in sustainable energy production," said Environment Minister Jacqueline Cramer. "But the question is: How do you do that in a way that is truly sustainable?"

The scheme makes the Netherlands a front-runner among nations seeking to tackle the new climate change dilemma.

Other European countries are working along similar lines and are closely watching the Dutch initiative — the first to reach the level of government consideration.

The Dutch panel, called the Cramer Commission because the environment minister chaired it before being appointed to the Cabinet, has drawn up a framework which companies can use to measure the sustainability of crops used for biofuels.

The framework evaluates emission reduction compared with fossil fuels and whether the crops supplant other land uses such as food production. It also looks at whether the crops reduce biodiversity, damage the environment or use pesticides.

Dutch companies can check some of the criteria, but the government and independent monitoring also will have to ensure they are being met, said Cramer.

The Dutch government is not proposing new laws to underpin the system as there are fears they could conflict with World Trade Organization rules. "As long as it's a voluntary system, we don't have a problem," Cramer said.

The report also outlined other principles. The production of biofuels cannot contribute to deforestation, deplete reservoirs of carbon captured in the earth, degrade soil or water supplies, or displace local populations. It also calls for greenhouse gas emissions to be cut by at least 70 percent for generating electricity, and 30 percent for transportation fuels.

A group of Dutch environmental groups including Greenpeace and Environment Defense called the plan "a step in the right direction" but said it did not go far enough.

"In essential areas, the plans fall short," the groups said. "Rain forests can still be cleared for new plantations."

Associated Press writer Arthur Max contributed to this report from Amsterdam.
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