European biofuel distribution - a developing tapestry: Distribution of biofuels is as much as barrier to industry growth as feedstock shortages

31st January, 2007

Distribution of biofuels from tank terminal to petrol pump would, commentators agree, require long-term investments in adapting the current petrol based fuel distribution system in most advanced countries.
Cutting greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector is now the major focus in countries signed up to the Kyoto Protocol, and EU states with separate reduction targets to meet. In the US, biofuels are more widely distributed than in the EU, but distribution issues remain a problem. There are technical issues involving blending, but also storage and labelling issues for biofuels as well. The major distribution problems centre around biofuels being able to use the existing petroleum products pipeline infrastructure in a country, and the implications this would have for continuing use of petrol in the same systems, as well as technical issues with the pipes themselves.

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