Spain needs ‘urgent’ plan to develop biofuel pumps

23 November 2007 15:45  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS news)--Spain must introduce a plan to develop the country’s limited biofuel pump network to drive fresh efforts at jumpstarting the eco-friendly car market, industry observers said on Friday.

Spain has roughly 400 biodiesel pumps, mostly in the Catalonia region and just three ethanol pumps, according to top renewables energy lobby APPA.

“The government is not making any effort to promote the development of the filling stations,” an APPA source told ICIS news, adding that the regions have so far had the onus to develop and regulate biofuel pumps.

“There is a lot disorganisation between the government and the regions about how to handle this issue.”

APPA hopes the government will act on the matter soon, the source said, as does Blas Vives, general manager of Spain’s car dealership network, Faconauto, who says the government’s intervention is now crucial.

"The ministry has no plan to develop a pump network and this needs to happen urgently," said Vives. "If drivers can't fill up these cars, what's the point of having them?"

"Manufacturers need to grab the bull by the horns if they want to develop this market. They have to invest in technology and launch more [programmes] to help promote these vehicles and their infrastructure," he said.

Officials at the Industry Ministry, which handles the issue, could not be reached for comment.

Madrid recently introduced new laws to cut and waive registration tax for low-emission cars.

Under the legislation, which comes into effect in January, the state will waive registration duties for vehicles that emit fewer than 120g/km and charge 4.75% for cars emitting 120g-160g/km of CO2 - down from 6%-12%. It will also levy a much higher rate - 14.75% - for vehicles emitting more than 200g/km.

Spain sold 120,000 eco cars, 8% of the total 1.6m cars sold in 2007.

Bookmark Simon Robinson's Big Biofuels Blog for some independent thinking on biofuels

By: Ivan Castano Freeman
+44 20 8652 3214

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