Consumption of biodiesel additives up 3% in H1

Prague, Sept 26 (CTK) - The consumption of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), which are used as an additive to biodiesel, grew by 3 percent year-on-year to 130,000 tonnes in the first half of this year, biodiesel producers' association head Petr Jevic told journalists Wednesday.

Domestic output of biodiesel ingredients decreased by 6 percent to 99,000 tonnes. Imports increased, while exports decreased.

Production of bioethanol, which is used as an additive to petrol, doubled to almost 51,000 tonnes.

According to Jevic, biofuel consumption is pulled up mainly by high-percentage biofuel E85 and biodiesel B100, which are cheapr than to lower excise duty rate applying to them.

The increased biofuel consumption is related with the rise of the mandatory share of biofuel added to diesel oil from 4.5 percent to 6 percent in 2010. The obligatory amount of bioethanol in petrol grew from 3.5 percent to 4.1 percent.

According to the association of biodiesel producers. there are about 300 public stations selling high-percentage biofuel in the Czech Republic.

The association of biodiesel producers Wednesday criticised the European Commission's intention to restrict subsidies for biofuel after the current legislation expires.

According to Jevic, this would endanger an entire industrial sectors in which billions of crowns have been invested. In addition, thousands of jobs would be lost, he added.