The European Biodiesel Board, the EU’s main producer lobby group, as expected launched a claim against what many call unfair export subsidies coming into the EU from the USA as reported today in the Wall Street Journal.
European imports of biodiesel from the USA in 2007 were appoximately 20% of total EU demand. The Wall Street Journal article also reports on other challenges facing the industry and includes quotes from an interview with Starsupply Renewables CEO, Kevin McGeeney.
“The single biggest challenge facing the biodiesel industry in Europe is not U.S. imports,” says Kevin McGeeney, chief executive of Switzerland-based Starsupply Renewables SA, a biofuels broker. “It’s the debate on sustainability and food price rises.”
However, it is not all bad news for European biodiesel. THE WSJ reports on Neste’s increased sales from its second generation NExBTL facility that produces parafinnic hydrocarbons.
