LONDON (Reuters) - British biofuel targets coming into force this weekend will double the use of renewable fuels in the UK transport sector in 15 years and reduce reliance on imported diesel, the government said on Friday.
The new targets, which take effect on April 15, will compel transport fuel suppliers who sell at least 450,000 liters a year or more to make sure the mix is at least 12.4 percent biofuel by 2032, the government said.
The industry supplies fuel to transport companies such as haulage businesses and airlines.
Changes to the so-called Renewables Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) will increase the biofuels volume target to 9.75 percent in 2020 and 12.4 percent in 3032 from the current 4.75 percent.
The changes will also reward and support the production of sustainable renewable aviation fuels in Britain.
"The changes we are introducing will double our carbon emissions savings from the RTFO scheme by doubling the use of renewable fuels and reducing reliance on imported fossil diesel," said British transport minister Jesse Norman.
"This will deliver emissions savings equal to taking hundreds of thousands of cars off the road."
(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by David Goodman)
