Forecasting the Biofuel Consumption Trend on a European Scale with the Random Forest Algorithm

The ever-increasing demand for energy worldwide, driven by population and economic growth, industrialization, as well as concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels, has increased the demand for renewable and clean energy. Biofuels play an important role in the worldwide transition to renewable energy. Accurate biofuel forecasting is therefore critical for regional policy making. This will enable policymakers to allocate countries' own resources towards their strategic goals, plan the necessary infrastructure and support economic growth. In this study, a forecasting model is constructed using the Random Forest Algorithm (RFA) approach to predict the trends in biofuels consumption. Therefore, firstly, statistical data for the European region (Total Europe and Other Europe) are collected for 1992-2022. These values are then predicted for the years 2025, 2030 and 2050. The values obtained in the forecasting model have found the highest successful results for the given years with the number of decision trees being 50 and the R2 value is 0.9975. The results showed that the models created for Europe can be used in renewable energy projections for future planning. Obtained results are analyzed, the measures and requirements that can be taken in line with the European Union Green Deal are interpreted.