§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is carrying out into the viability of growing biofuels; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. CurryThe Department is sponsoring research in a number of relevant areas, including work on improved varieties of traditional crops, such as rapeseed and on potential solid biofuel crops such as miscanthus. Agricultural aspects of liquid biofuel manufacture—for example, biodiesel and bioethanol—have generally passed the research stage. However, our economic and scientific research raises doubts about their ability to compete with fuels from fossil sources, even when grown with the benefit of area or set-aside payments. Biodiesel, for example, costs two or three times as much to produce as conventional diesel.