At last! New Government regulations are about to come into force, which will open up the market for biofuel production in the UK.
At present the law requires anyone producing any quantity of a biofuel (mostly biodiesel in the UK) to pay duty of 28.35p on every litre they produce as well as submit returns to HM Revenue & Customs and hold a permit.
But from the 30th June 2007 biofuel producers who produce a threshold of 2,500 litres per annum below will not need to submit returns or pay duty, and there will be a reduction in the frequency of returns for all but the largest producers (defined as those producing over 450,000 litres per annum) from monthly to quarterly.
This landmark change in regulation means that everyone will have the opportunity to produce enough biofuel for their own personal consumption, duty free.
The biodiesel market is one of the fastest growing markets in Europe today and at the present time there are approximately 1,400 producers of Biofuels in the UK, a large proportion of whom produce for their own personal use.
So as I rush out to stockpile on frying oil, you can just imagine the scenario. Fist fights amongst the shoppers eager to get the hands on as much stuff to make biofuel as possible, then the construction in the garden shed as they start producing - for the good of the environment.
And what about those smells? Think I will stick to cider making.
Jackie Violet