The EU Biofuels Directive aims to promote the use of biofuels or other renewable fuels as a substitute for petrol or diesel in the transport sector.

The biofuels that are potentially available are:

• Biodiesel: This is the only type of bio fuel currently on sale in the UK and can either be used neat or used as a blend in conventional diesel. It can be produced from a number of sources, including recycled waste animal fats and vegetable oil.

• Bio-ethanol: This can be blended into petrol, where it offers air quality as well as carbon benefits. In addition to ethanol production from crops, such as sugar beet, it can also be produced from cellulose rich commercial, industrial and agricultural wastes.

• Biogas: this can be used instead of compressed natural gas to power gas vehicles.