BIOENERGY FOR EUROPE: WHICH ONES FIT BEST?

4.2 European results: biofuels compared to fossil fuels 55
4.2.4 RME versus diesel fuel for transportation
Use of fossil fuels
Greenhouse effect
Acidification
Eutrophication
Summer smog
Nitrous oxide**
Human toxicity**
* How to interpret the diagram
Advantages for
biofuel
Advantages for
fossil fuel
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-1000 -800 -600 -400 -200 0 200 400 600 800 1000
European inhabitant equivalents* per 100 million km
The figure shows the results of complete life cycle comparisons where RME is used in passenger cars
instead of diesel fuel. The results are given for a distance of 100 million km being covered by passenger
cars using the biofuel instead of fossil fuel. This is equivalent to the average annual mileage of about
4,000 Europeans. In this case for example the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that is being saved
by substituting diesel fuel by RME is equal to the amount which about 700 European citizens would on
average generate in one year (this is what is meant by “European inhabitant equivalents”).
Remarks and conclusions
The results show that both RME as well as diesel fuel have certain ecological advantages and disadvantages.
• Advantages of the biofuel: use of fossil fuels, greenhouse effect
• Advantages of the fossil fuel: acidification, eutrophication
• Low or no significance: summer smog
The data for ozone depletion and human toxicity tend to have a high uncertainty. Therefore these categories
should not be included in the final assessment. (**See Chapter 4.1.2 and for details on all impact
categories 3.3 and 3.4)
A further assessment in favour of or against RME or diesel fuel cannot be carried out on a scientific
basis, because for this purpose subjective value judgements regarding the individual environmental
categories are required which differ from person to person.