Czech biofuels aid programme allowed to continue through 2020

The EU has given permission to the Czech government to continue providing aid for biofuels until the end of 2020.

The Czech government’s aid system, launched in 2008, provides cuts in excise duty or tax refunds to pure or highly concentrated biofuels.

All biofuels benefiting from the aid programme must meet set sustainability criteria.

‘The commission concluded that the scheme would further EU energy and environmental objectives without unduly distorting competition in the single market,’ the European Commission says in a statement.

The EU has set a goal to increase the share of renewable sources in overall energy consumption to 20% by 2020, with the target for transportation fuels set at 10%.

Last year EU leaders agreed to further the goals, setting a new target of 27% for 2030 in order to decrease CO₂ emissions and reduce Europe’s dependence on foreign fossil fuels.

The Czech Republic has set its individual goals at increasing the use of renewables to 13% by 2020, with European Commission data showing that the county reached 12.4% in 2013.

The projected share of renewables in energy consumption EU-wide is 15.3% for last year.

The Czech Republic introduced mandatory use of biofuel blends in 2007, and according to statistics the country is set to meet its 2020 target.