Sweden Reviewing Its Tax Exemptions for Biofuels
27 May 2010
The Swedish National Audit Office (Riksrevisionen) has begun a review of the tax exemption for biofuels, with the results to be published in 2011.
Sweden has striven to increase the share of biofuels in transport, and liquid biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel are currently exempt from energy and carbon tax. The main purpose of the exemption for biofuels was to encourage the continued introduction of these fuels.
Sweden now consumes the most ethanol per capita in the EU, the audit office said, and is behind only Germany and France in total consumption. Sweden’s tax subsidy for biofuels today comes 2 billion kroner (€206 million, US$253 million) per year. The review intends to assess the effectiveness of the exemption, and answer the following questions:
- Is the tax exemption for biofuels appropriate based on the parliamentary climate change?
- Has the government’s design and control of the exemption been appropriate?
- Does the tax exemption have significant side effects?
- Has the government followed up and assessed the tax exemption in an appropriate manner?
Germany scrapped its tax break on biofuels in Germany in 2006, and at the end of 2009 Norway announced plans to scrap a tax exemption for biodiesel.
Phosphate use is my chief concern in biofuels
Posted by: Davemart | 27 May 2010 at 10:38 AM
Ethanol production is counter productive except perhaps in Brazil. But even in Brazil it has destroyed the natural environment.
It is far better to grow permanent large trees that will absorb far more CO2 than is saved by limiting the use of fossil fuels with biofuels produced on the same land. Ethanol is now far from a net zero CO2 fuel because much fossil energy goes into its production on the average. Ethanol made with fission energy would be different.
Ethanol fuel has caused speculation to multiply the price of simple corn foods beyond the reach of many people in several countries and should be considered a crime against humanity. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 27 May 2010 at 01:29 PM
For the reduction of CO2 release and the saving of energy, co-generation is a far better investment and will recoup the investment in less than ten years and sometimes less than a few months.
Cogeneration can be implemented in automobiles by powering the charger of an electric car with a natural gas fueled engine generator and using the heat to heat or cool the house. Even the use of gasoline or diesel this way has a saving but not as big.
Gasoline powered engine range extended plug in hybrid automobiles provide more environmental benefits and also pay for themselves eventually. In Sweden they are also cogenerators of the needed heat. ..HG..
..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 27 May 2010 at 01:39 PM