BIOFUELS AS SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES - PERSPECTIVES FOR LESS-DEVELOPED-COUNTRIES

The future outlook of biofuels is beset by uncertainty. Key factors fo r the adoption of biofuels as alternative technologies are policy deci sions by governments in terms of regulations, such as government procu rement schemes and fuel specifications, along with financial and econo mic instruments, such as subsidies and preferential taxation. In this framework, the present analysis is a prospective as to the future deve lopment of a biofuel program in the European Union and the hypothetica l role of developing countries as suppliers in this new market. The fo cus of this article is, exclusively, on liquid fuels. (C) 1998 Elsevie r Science Inc.