Biodiesel sales fell significantly in 2013

This week, the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) revealed that biodiesel sales fell by 300,000 tonnes in 2013.

Last year’s sales figures stood at 2.2 million tonnes, compared to an average of 2.5 million tonnes, which remained stable throughout the period between 2009 and 2012.  

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) has announced that waning vegetable methyl esters is more severe than first thought as BAFA data contains the offset amount of hydrated vegetable oil (HVO) and biodiesel from waste oils.

If we consider that in 2012, HVO sales were around 420,000 tonnes, and approximately 200,000 tonnes of biodiesel from waste oil was sold, then the actual sale of biodiesel was only 1.6 million tonnes, if last year’s figures were similar.

The 5.25% energy quota introduced in 2009, which was then increased to 6.25% for the period 2010 to 2014, showed significant promise for biodiesel sales. However, after biodiesel became subject to full taxation last year, the UFOP is concerned that ‘volume balancing for compensation of the incremental reduction in the tax concession will creep in due to the double apportionment of biofuels from waste oils and as a result of HVO imports,’ UFOP said in a statement.