IEA World Energy Report Calls for Switch to Low Carbon Energy: Growing Biofuels Production Will Play a Role in Reducing GHG Emissions

The extensive annual report was unequivocal with respect to the need for a rapid transition to low carbon forms of energy to play an increasing role in the global transportation sector. "Energy needs to be used more efficiently and the carbon content of the energy we consume must be reduced, by switching to low- or zero-carbon sources," according to the IEA.

Global Renewable Fuels Alliance spokesperson, Bliss Baker, welcomed the IEA's report as an important tool in the effort to encourage countries around the world to adapt biofuels-friendly policies.

"The IEA's report makes it clear that immediate action is needed to grow global biofuels production further in order to provide increased energy security and reduce the world's dangerous dependence on crude oil and fuel imports," said Baker. "The world simply cannot sustain its current reliance on oil when future energy demands are increasing, oil reserves are running out and the environmental footprint of the petroleum industry continues to grow."

"Continuing on today's energy path, without any change in government policy, would mean rapidly increasing dependence on fossil fuels, with alarming consequences for climate change and energy security," according to the Report.

Assuming no new government policies are put in place, according to the IEA, oil demand will rise by 1 per cent per year on average from 85 million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2008 to 88 mb/d in 2015 & 105 mb/d in 2030. Approximately 97 per cent of the projected increase in oil demand will come from the transportation sector.

The Report calls for measures in the transport sector to improve fuel economy, expand biofuels and promote the uptake of new vehicle technologies in order to achieve significant reductions in oil demand. The report notes that increased use of biofuels in the transport sector alone could account for 3 per cent of global emissions reductions.

"While the footprint of biofuels continues to shrink, rising global consumption of fossil fuels continues to drive up GHG emissions and global temperatures," noted Baker. "It is the GRFA's hope that governments and international bodies take the IEA's report seriously and embrace biofuels as the most viable alternative to fossil fuels capable of significantly reducing GHG emissions in the transportation sector while increasing energy security."

"The rapid development of new technologies will make existing biofuels production as well as next generation biofuels increasingly beneficial to global energy, economic and environmental goals," Baker added.

The Global Renewable Fuels Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting biofuels friendly policies internationally. Alliance members represent over 65 per cent of the global biofuels production from 44 countries. Through the development of new technologies and best practices, the Alliance members are committed to producing renewable fuels with the smallest possible footprint.

About the International Energy Agency (IEA) World Energy Outlook:

The annual World Energy Outlook series is the flagship publication of the IEA and has gained a reputation as the world's most authoritative source for energy analysis and projections. Each year it provides a quantitative outlook for energy supply and demand in the medium term (2010-2015) and longer-term (2015-2030) and draws lessons for energy security, investment and the environment. The report can be found at http://www.worldenergyoutlook.org/.