Biodiesel use in UK still modest

April 30, 2026
 |  No Comments

Biodiesel plays a modest but important role in the UK’s transport energy system. Here’s a clear overview of how it’s used, how much is used, and the key trends.

Biodiesel use in the UK

1) How biodiesel is actually used

  • In the UK, biodiesel is not usually sold as pure fuel.
  • Instead, it is blended into regular diesel—most commonly as B7 fuel (up to 7% biodiesel) available at standard fuel pumps.
  • This means almost every diesel vehicle in the UK already uses a small amount of biodiesel without drivers noticing.

2) Share in the fuel mix

  • Renewable fuels made up about 7.5% of UK transport fuel in 2023.
  • Biodiesel accounted for roughly 39% of those renewable fuels.

So biodiesel is one of the main renewable fuels, but still a relatively small part of total fuel use overall.

3) Volumes and production

  • Around 1.45 billion litres of biodiesel were supplied in 2023.
  • UK production in 2024 was about 1.4 million tonnes.
  • However:
    • A significant share is imported
    • Much UK-produced biodiesel is exported (over 60%), with only about 25–30% used domestically

4) Feedstocks (what it’s made from)

  • The UK heavily relies on waste-based biodiesel, especially:
    • Used cooking oil (UCO)
    • Animal fats (tallow)
  • In some years, ~70% comes from waste oils, which gives better environmental benefits than crop-based fuels.

5) Government policy (key driver)

  • Biodiesel use is mainly driven by the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO):
    • Fuel suppliers must include a certain % of renewable fuels
    • Biodiesel helps meet these targets

6) Trends and challenges

Declining relative importance

  • Biodiesel’s share is falling as alternatives grow:
    • Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)
    • Bioethanol

Industry pressure

  • UK biodiesel producers face:
    • Cheaper imports
    • Policy uncertainty
  • Some plants have closed or are at risk, reducing domestic production capacity

7) Conclusion

  • Biodiesel in the UK is:
    • Widely used (blended into nearly all diesel)
    • Important for reducing emissions in existing vehicles
    • But limited in scale (only a small share of total fuel)
    • Gradually being overtaken by newer biofuels and electrification