Energy and Climate Plan

Adopted by the European Parliament in 2008, the Energy and Climate Plan identifies biofuels as an important means for achieving its goal. The plan reinforces the strategy of Sofiprotéol, which has been involved in biofuel development since 1985.

The Energy and Climate Plan establishes the major policy axes concerning renewable energy for the European Union’s 27 member states until 2020.

Promoting energy from renewable sources

The Energy and Climate Plan sets a binding objective that 10% of energy used in transportation originate from renewable sources by 2020. To reach this goal, biofuel production must increase over time in order to be able to incorporate larger quantities into traditional gasoline and diesel.

The Energy and Climate Plan ensures that crops intended for biofuel do not come at the expense of crops destined for food. It sets strict eligibility criteria for determining which land can be used for biofuel crops.

A long-standing commitment for Sofiprotéol

Since 1985, the Group has been involved in biofuel development through Diester Industrie.

Thanks to the Energy and Climate Plan and its long-term goals, biofuel development will be highly visible until 2020. As a result, Sofiprotéol and its partners can make significant investments to finance research into new innovations.

In particular, the Group is working diligently on 2^nd generation biofuels.

Improving the energy performance of farms

The Energy and Climate Plan also aims to improve the energy performance of agricultural industries and to reduce the amount of energy used on farms.

Farms must monitor :

• water and fuel consumption,
• the origin of the raw and agricultural materials they use, in order to reduce the environmental cost of transporting materials.

In February 2009, the Group signed an agreement with the French Ministry of Agriculture as part of the National Plan for the Energy Performance of Farms. The agreement calls for energy audits of 100,000 farms by 2013 in order to identify and standardize best practices in sustainable agriculture.