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UK Government policy on biofuels has always been based on making their production and use sustainable. A number of studies on biofuel sustainability have considered the supply and demand of biofuels anticipated globally. These include the Gallagher Review commissioned by the Renewable Fuels Agency—the Gallagher Review and the studies underpinning it are available via the Renewable Fuels Agency's website
http://www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/
and a study on the environmental sustainability of international biofuels production commissioned by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), available on DEFRA's website at www.defra.gov.uk. These studies cost approximately £300,000.
Research has also been commissioned to consider key social, economic and ecological consequences of the development of bioenergy and its impacts on the rural poor in developing countries. These include a study commissioned by the Department for International Development on the impact of biofuels on agriculture and poverty reduction in developing countries, costing approximately £8,000, and available on the Overseas Development Institute website; and, under the auspices of the Brazil: UK: Southern Africa Taskforce on Biofuels, the Brazil:UK:Africa Partnership on Bioethanol Scoping study, which was commissioned by the Office for Science and Innovation (part of the former Department of Trade and Industry). The study looked into the technical potential for sugar cane for bioethanol in Africa, cost approximately £116,000 and is available on the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform website.
The Government have recently committed a further £170,000 to a five year transnational consortia research programme, "Bioenergy - an opportunity or threat to the rural poor" as part of the ERA-ARD (European Research Area for Agricultural Research and Development net).