The County of Somerset is situated in the South West Region of England. Somerset is a County with the main towns of Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater and the historic City of Wells. Regional Planning Guidance for the South West (RPG10) states that local authorities, energy suppliers and other agencies should support and encourage the region to meet these national targets (12.5% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of 1990 levels by 2010).
Transport is responsible for some 32% of carbon emissions in the County. Petrol engine cars account for a majority of all new cars registered in the County.
With local grain production and local council interest in energy security and environmental sustainability, Somerset in the UK presented an ideal site for developing a bioethanol market.
When the local grain company Wessex Grain declared their interest in developing a bioethanol production plant in Somerset coincided with Somerset Council’s plan to increase bioenergy in local energy production and for transport a coalition of actors was formed.
In January 2006 there were no clean vehicles in use in the Somerset area.
Participation in the BEST project has enabled the introduction of clean vehicles to be used in the Somerset County Council vehicle fleet and among Somerset local stakeholders; Wessex Water and Avon & Somerset Constabulary. All in all nearly 50 FFVs was introduced.
The unfavouralble E85 price and the aggresive food versus fuel - debate was the main barriers to FFV sales in Somerset and UK.