Potential for Biofuels for Transport in Developing Countries

Liquid biofuels made from biomass are
attracting increasing interest worldwide. Industrial
countries see biofuels as a way of reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions from the transport sector and diversifying
energy sources. Developing countries see biofuels as a way
to stimulate rural development, create jobs, and save
foreign exchange. Both groups view biofuels as a means of
increasing energy security. These concerns, taken together
and highlighted by recent surges in the world oil price,
have prompted a wide range of countries to consider biofuels
programs. Canada, Colombia, the European Union (EU), India,
Thailand, and the United States have adopted new targets,
some mandatory, for increasing the contribution of biofuels
to their transport fuel supplies. In Brazil, after a period
of a decline in ethanol consumption, flex-fuel
vehicles-capable of running on varying percentages of
ethanol-are revitalizing the ethanol market.