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Jury stilt out on biofuel use
Page 9
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By Chris Tindatt OPERATORS SHOULD concentrate on improving their fuel efficiency and not rely on biofuels to provide an economic and environmental solution any time soon, according to a leading logistics specialist.
The pessimistic analysis from professor Alan McKinnon at Heriot-Watt University comes after the government-commissioned Gallagher Review cast doubt on the environmental credentials of biofuels.
The review states that the government must scale down its biofuel targets until further work is carried out into their use. Concern has been growing over their impact on world food prices and carbon levels in the atmosphere.
Professor McKinnon says the environmental case for a switch of freight operations to biofuel has not yet been established: "The feeling is we should wait until we know all the effects of biofuels.
"There's such a dearth [of information] that people are hesitant. Over the past 18 months to two years, I have come from very upbeat and positive to fairly negative about biofuels."
Volvo Trucks' manager of environment and legislation, Ray Cattley, says: "Governments should be working constructively with the industry to create the knowledge for which fuel, or renewable, to go with."
• An investigation into hiofuels follows next month.