More biofuel is being used in the transport industry, with the renewable energy source accounting for four per cent of total road and non-road mobile machinery fuel in 2018 so far.

The government revealed that changes to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligations (RTFO) has meant transport fuel suppliers are now required to do their bit to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by ensuring some of the fuel they supply comes from renewable energy.

This is why as much as 525 million litres equivalent of renewable fuel has been supplied over the last nine months, with 172 million litres equivalent meeting sustainability requirements.

The majority of this fuel is biodiesel (otherwise known as biodiesel methyl ester), which accounts for 59 per cent. The second most commonly used energy source is bio ethanol at 38 per cent, followed by bio methane at two per cent, and bio methanol at one per cent.

According to the report, 86 per cent of the 172 million litres of sustainable renewable fuel was created from feedstock waste or residue, with a quarter of this coming from the UK itself.

However, as much as 32 million litres was from starch slurry (low grade) from France.

The changes to the RTFO have already made an impact on the environment, achieving an aggregate greenhouse gas saving of 83 per cent in comparison with fossil fuels.

Britain is not the only country that is trying to increase its usage of biofuel, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade recently revealed Vietnam’s consumption of biofuel has increased by 31 per cent over the last year. This is owing to a huge growth in demand for the renewable energy source, Vietnam News published.