To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on the emissions profile of the biofuel B30K. (296189)

The emission profile for B30K that the Department holds was established using the methodology developed by our SAP contractor BRE for calculating the carbon emission factors of fuels and the specific information provided for B30K by the Oil Firing Technical Association.

The methodology, and the carbon emission values so calculated, formed part of the consultation that was recently undertaken by DECC on the proposed changes to the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). We will be reporting on the consultation shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what information his Department holds on (a) the likely geographical sources of the cooking oil to be recycled and (b) the proportion of palm oil that will be used to recycle into the biofuel B30K. (296190)

Reporting under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation indicates that sources of used cooking oil used in the UK are primarily of UK origin but also include sources from Europe. We have no information on the amount of palm oil that is recycled as used cooking oil for the production of biofuels. Virgin palm oil currently accounts for 10 per cent. of biofuel used in the UK, of which, 5 per cent. from Malaysia, 2 per cent. from Indonesia and 3 per cent. unknown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what evidence his Department has on the boiler efficiencies of oil-fired systems using the biofuel B30K which underpin the carbon output rating attributed to it in table 12 of the draft SAP 2009. (296193)

While the Department and our SAP contractors have been working with the Oil Firing Technical Association (OFTEC) as they have developed B30K, we have yet to receive any formal evidence of performance. None the less, on the basis of the field trials and the comparative boiler efficiency tests undertaken, OFTEC claim there are no impacts on boiler efficiency providing the boiler is properly set up for the fuel in question. However, they have yet to formally publish the report that details their findings.

Table 12 of the draft SAP 2009 consultation relates to the carbon intensity of the fuels that may be used in homes.