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Global liquid biofuel production grew sevenfold over the last 20 years…

2026-05-09 · 14:56 UTC ·@OurWorldInData ·1 min read

Brief

Our World in Data reports that global liquid biofuel production expanded sevenfold between roughly 2006 and 2026, initially driven by Brazil and the United States as an alternative to imported oil when EVs were too costly. Although electric vehicles are now cheaper and cost-competitive in places, biofuel volumes are at record highs and are expected to grow further due to fuel standards and national policies (Data Insight by @_HannahRitchie, 2026-05-09).

Why it matters

Global liquid biofuel production grew sevenfold over the last 20 years (≈2006–2026), reaching record highs by 2026.

Key details

  • Initial large-scale adoption was led by Brazil and the United States from the late 20th century into the early 2000s as a way to cut dependence on foreign oil and because electric vehicles were still prohibitively expensive.
  • Despite electric cars becoming far cheaper and cost-competitive in some markets, biofuel output is expected to keep rising through the coming decade driven primarily by fuel standards and national policies (Our World in Data, @_HannahRitchie, 2026-05-09).
Source evidence

Global biofuel production has grown sevenfold in the last 20 years, despite the rise of electric cars

In the late 20th century, a handful of countries — led by Brazil and the United States — turned to liquid biofuels to reduce their dependence on foreign oil markets, producing transport fuels from cheap crops instead.

In the early 2000s, interest in biofuels ramped up sharply, and not just in the Americas. They came to be seen as a leading method to decarbonize road transport. This was because today’s alternative to the combustion engine, the electric car, was still far too expensive.

Over the last two decades, global liquid biofuel production has grown sevenfold, as the chart shows.

Electric vehicles are now far cheaper and, in some places, cost-competitive with petrol cars, so biofuels are no longer seen as the central answer to low-carbon transport.

Yet, the world produces more of them than ever, and this is expected to grow over the coming decade, largely due to fuel standards and national policies that have promoted them.

(This Data Insight was written by @_HannahRitchie.)