10th November 2005 British Sugar welcomes the Government’s announcement on the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) British Sugar, with its interest in becoming the major supplier of bioethanol in the UK, welcomes Alistair Darling’s announcement at the Environmentally Friendly Vehicles conference today regarding the introduction of a Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.  As detailed in the announcement, the RTFO will set a target for sales of biofuels as a proportion of all road transport fuels at 5% by 2010. The introduction of the RTFO will facilitate the establishment of an indigenous UK bioethanol industry by obliging the oil companies to sell an increasing proportion of biofuels, leading to significant cuts in CO2 emissions from transport - the sector with the poorest record in this field.  Bioethanol provides a significant opportunity to help the Government meet climate change targets to reduce carbon emissions.  The establishment of a UK bioethanol industry could also help to secure or create up to 10,000 jobs.  Mark Carr, British Sugar’s CEO, commented “We are delighted that the Government has decided to introduce the RTFO.  The RTFO will offer significant support to the bioethanol industry which presents a real opportunity for the UK to make an impact on reducing road transport carbon emissions.  We are very pleased that the Government has taken this step to enable the UK biofuels market to develop. Editors notes: Bioethanol is a biofuel - or green fuel - that can produce up to 70 per cent fewer carbon emissions than petrol. Nearly a quarter of all UK carbon emissions come from road transport. If bioethanol replaced 5 per cent of petrol in the UK, it would amount to the equivalent carbon saving of taking one million cars off the road. In the UK, bioethanol will be produced from sugar beet or wheat. It is simple to use because it is mixed with petrol in a blend of 5% bioethanol, 95% petrol. Earlier this year, British Sugar announced that it had placed a contract for the design of the UK's first bioethanol production facility.  Planned to come on stream in the first quarter of 2007, the plant will be able to produce 70 million litres (55,000 tonnes) of bioethanol from sugar beet.  An application for planning permission to build this facility at British Sugar’s Wissington sugar factory is with King's Lynn Borough Council.