Global biofuel production ‘too slow’, IEA reveals

Biofuel production globally is not progressing fast enough for the global energy sector to reach net zero emissions of carbon dioxide by 2050, the International Energy Agency said.
The organisation revealed this in its updated Net Zero Roadmap on September 26 and it added that the availability of feedstocks, and food fertilizer prices were posing big challenges.
Biofuel output has increased on average by 4% per year over the last five years, but it needs to increase by an average of 13% per year to reach an 11 Exajoules (EJ) target by 2030, the Paris-based inter-governmental agency said.
Biomass-based diesel, for instance, has expanded at an average of 9% worldwide for the past five years. Existing and announced projects would cover half of the increase in demand, assuming they all go ahead, IEA said.
IEA first released the report titled Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector in 2021, and looks at various pathways to reduce emissions produced in electricity generation, transport, industry and other sectors.
In its latest update, the agency has raised its estimates for global emissions to 2030 to reflect "the extremely strong rebound in economic activity and emissions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the failure to act in recent years at the speed envisaged in our original report."
Modern liquid biofuel demand, including gasoline, diesel, marine and aviation fuels may increase by 200% before peaking around 2040, IEA said.
After that, IEA expects a continued phase-out of internal combustion engine cars would reduce biofuel demand for road transport and maritime and aviation uses will see more biofuel use.