The German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe) notes that a key element in the EU Council adopted position December 18 on the recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), is an increase in the mandatory minimum percentage of renewable energies in transport-sector fuel from 10 percent in 2020 to 14 percent in 2030."The EU Energy Council’s decision concerning the recast of the Renewable Energies Directive is a step in the right direction" says Norbert Schindler, Chairman of BDBe.
The EU Energy Council decision also envisages a gradual increase in the minimum level of biofuel from waste and residues to 3 percent by 2030, in order to promote the use of such fuels. These biofuels are to benefit from double-counting provisions when calculating the 14 percent minimum share of renewables. The current 7 percent cap for biofuels from cultivated biomass is to be maintained until 2030.
The EU Energy Council’s decision concerning the recast of the Renewable Energies Directive is a step in the right direction. The decision to stipulate a minimum 14 percent share of renewables in fuel paves the way for significant reductions in CO2 emissions from the transport sector. One negative point, however, is the envisaged double-counting for biofuels from waste and residues. This would not lead to lower CO2 emissions, said Norbert Schindler, Chairman of the German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe).
Schindler pointed out that including bioethanol in German petrol blends such as Super, Super E10 and Super Plus enables the efficient and cost-effective curtailment of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Official figures demonstrate that in 2016 use of bioethanol slashed CO2 emissions by 75 percent compared with fossil petrol.
Schindler called for Germany’s current provisions on a 4 percent cut in CO2 emissions for all fuels to be made much more stringent; this is the only way to ensure further abatement of CO2 emissions in the transport sector. He underlined that the 6 percent reduction in CO2 emissions currently scheduled for 2020 should be brought forward to 2018 and that the target must be raised to an 8 percent cut from 2020.
