The EU’s ambitions to be a world leader in the fight against climate change are admirable but daunting—which makes it all the more vital for policymakers to take a pragmatic approach that uses every available sustainable emissions reduction technology.This is especially clear in the latest EU figures on renewable energy compiled by Eurostat, which show that the bloc is still heavily dependent on fossil fuel in transport once the influence of artificial multipliers is removed—more than 92% in 2022, compared to just 7% renewables. It’s clear that more needs to be done to promote real renewables in transport.Unfortunately, in some cases the EU has chosen a more dogmatic approach that excludes practical solutions. This is especially true when it comes to biofuels. That’s why the European renewable ethanol industry has chosen to challenge two of the flagship policies of the EU’s Green Deal for failing to recognize the proven benefits of crop-based biofuels.In December, European ethanol producers launched a legal challenge to the EU’s FuelEU Maritime Regulation, which aims to decarbonize the shipping industry; in January, the industry filed a similar case against the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation, which seeks to decarbonize air transport.Those two regulations, as devised by then-Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans and inherited by his successor as the Commission’s Green Deal chief, Maroš Šefčovič, marginalize or prohibit the use of crop-based biofuels to reduce emissions—even those such as renewable ethanol that meet the strict sustainability criteria enshrined in EU law.In the maritime case, companies representing nearly all of the EU’s production of renewable ethanol seek to annul a section of the legislation that considers crop-based biofuels to have the same emission factors as the least favorable fossil fuel pathway. In the aviation case, these companies seek to annul specific sections of the RefuelEU Aviation Regulation that exclude crop-based biofuels from the definition of sustainable aviation fuel.The legal actions are based on several arguments. In the maritime case, the suit argues that the European Parliament and Council committed a manifest assessment error by failing to rely on scientific and technical data in preparing their policy on the environment; violated the principle of proportionality by considering that crop-based biofuels that are compliant with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) have the same emission factors as the least favorable fossil fuel in maritime transport; and violated the principle of equal treatment because the methodology used to calculate the GHG intensity of the energy used to power ships is not consistent with how RED calculates biofuel GHG emissions.In the aviation case, the industry argues that the European Parliament and Council once again contradicted available scientific and technical data in preparing their policies; and that they violated the principle of proportionality by effectively enacting bans on the use of RED-compliant crop-based biofuels.This patchwork approach to crop-based renewable ethanol—confirming its sustainability and importance within RED but sidelining it in FuelEU Maritime and RefuelEU Aviation—is more than just discriminatory. It also jeopardizes the EU’s ability to meet ambitious decarbonization targets. Given the importance of achieving Europe’s goals for climate change mitigation, energy independence, food security, and strategic autonomy, the EU should make better use of proven domestic solutions such as renewable ethanol.Author: David Carpintero&nbsp; Director General of ePure,&nbsp;&nbsp; The European renewable&nbsp;&nbsp; ethanol association

2024-03-06 - The Case for European Ethanol in Shipping and Aviation (Ethanol Producer Magazine)

thumbnail_David-Carpintero.jpg

David-Carpintero.jpg

The EU’s ambitions to be a world leader in the fight against climate change are admirable but daunting—which makes it all the more vital for policymakers to take a pragmatic approach that uses every available sustainable emissions reduction technology.

The Case for European Ethanol in Shipping and Aviation

Related Stories

New Political Reality Highlights Strategic Importance of Ethanol Biorefineries

USDA: US ethanol exports top 198 million gallons in January

South Dakota governor signs bill to prevent the use of eminent domain in CO2 pipeline projects

UNICA: Corn ethanol production remains high in early February

RFA :Ethanol and DDGS exports experience vigorous start to the new year

Upcoming Events

North American SAF Conference & Expo

The Case for European Ethanol in Shipping and Aviation.css-7jxktu{position:absolute;bottom:0px;left:0px;right:0px;height:3px;border-radius:3px;background-color:var(--chakra-colors-brandBlack);}