^{NABO has recently responded to the Department for Transport consultation on the Renewable Energy Directive.}

^{The Directive number 2009/28/EC covers the promotion of use of energy from renewable sources and is known in short as RED. The RED requires European Member States to ensure that 10% of the energy used in transport is from renewable sources in 2020, as well as requiring the introduction of mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels. The Department of Transport has been consulting over the implementation of this by the end of 2011.  RED is nothing to do with the red dye in our diesel.}

^{Red diesel is treated differently from road diesel, and there is no intention to make the minimum content (or FAME content) as high as 10% in the short term. But we do know that there is a considerable variation in the bio content of the fuel  supplied over the marina berths. In some areas, oil suppliers may provide road diesel with dye, because it is cheaper to do so than handle and store two products. In others there may be no bio content. At the moment boater could be getting anything between 0% and 7% bio content. Boaters should ask what they are buying.}

^{This all makes it very difficult to understand the storage, treatment and reliability problems that will confront boaters with their very individual needs and equipment.}

^{NABO will continue to investigate this and keep boaters informed.}

^{NABO's response can be read here.}