Letter to stakeholders about the Renewable Transport Fuel consultation

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From Malcolm Fendick
Head of Cleaner Fuels & Vehicles Division

February 22, 2007

Dear Stakeholder

RTFO Consultation Documents

As you are aware the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation is due to start in April 2008 and will be brought into force through secondary legislation planned for the autumn of this year.  We have always made a commitment to consult on the detail of the scheme and I am pleased to inform you that the formal consultation has been launched today, with all documents available via http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/draftrtfo/.

The consultation pack comprises:

  • the formal consultation paper, summarising and seeking views on some of the key RTFO scheme design issues;
  • a partial Regulatory Impact Assessment; and
  • the draft RTFO Order itself.

The closing date for receipt of replies to the consultation is 17 May 2007.

There will be an opportunity to discuss the issues arising from the consultation document at two stakeholder workshops which we will be hosting on 21 and 22 March, further details of which will be issued shortly. We are intending that the agenda will be developed from feedback received in the first few weeks of the consultation, so that we can address any questions of detail and hear your input.

If you would like to attend one of the workshops, please respond by 15 March to RTFO.consultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk.  Please also use this address if you wish to comment on any aspects of the consultation.

There are two other points which you might like to note:

  • we will be making available shortly more detailed business process flowcharts with will contain more details about how the scheme will operate on a day-to-day basis.  Any stakeholder wishing to receive these should also email RTFO.consultation@dft.gsi.gov.uk.
  • the European Commission has recently published a proposal for amending the Fuel Quality Directive, which would require transport fuel suppliers, among other things, to achieve annual reductions in the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions associated with their fuels.  It also envisages two grades of petrol being available on forecourts: one containing up to 5% bioethanol, and the other containing between 5 and 10% bioethanol.  Details of the proposal are available at: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/air/pdf/fuel/com_2007_18_en.pdf.

I very much look forward to receiving your comments

Malcolm Fendick