Biofuels
EU protein plan: will the cure be worse than the disease?
On 17 December, EU agriculture ministers will discuss ideas published by the European Commission to reduce the amount of unsustainable overseas soy imported into the EU – by growing more here, writes Stanka Becheva.
US ethanol producers: We are oil’s biggest competitor, cleaner too
Increasing ethanol use will help countries around the world meet their Paris Agreement climate goals in a cheaper way, US producers told EURACTIV.com, staking their claim to a higher role for the fuel, alongside electricity, in decarbonising transport.
Biofuels lead efforts to protect the climate
With every passing year, the pathway to a stable climate gets narrower and more difficult to navigate. Meanwhile, the reports from our planet’s top scientists paint an increasingly grim picture of what to expect if the swing in global temperatures cannot be limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius, writes Craig Willis.
RED2: what is next for palm oil?
The boom of palm oil in the EU biofuels mixture since 2012 took centre stage in the debate about the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED2).
IEA chief: Ethanol ‘very important’ to reduce oil dependence
Ethanol will have a very important role in decarbonising the transport sector globally, the executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) told EURACTIV.com. Another energy expert said electrification will play a major role in transport but is not applicable to all sectors, which is where biofuels come in.
Biofuels and electromobility are key in Portugal’s transport decarbonisation
Portugal will use both electromobility and biofuels to decarbonise its transport sector by 2050, José Mendes, Portuguese First Secretary of State for Mobility - Environment and Energy Transition, told EURACTIV.com in an interview.
IPCC scientist: E-mobility not the only way to decarbonise transport
When it comes to decarbonisation of transport, switching to electric cars is just one option and there are a number of others, such as biofuels, that should not be discarded, a scientist from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), told EURACTIV.com on the sidelines of COP24 in Katowice.
COP24: Options to decarbonise transport
Transport is the only sector of the economy whose GHG emissions are increasing globally, scientists have warned.
The practical solution hidden in the EU’s 2050 climate-neutral strategy
When it comes to long-term transport decarbonisation, the European Commission has a short attention span, writes Emmanuel Desplechin. It should be encouraging solutions that work today, like sustainable biofuels.
EU talks on car CO2 curbs risk stalling
European Union negotiators are locked in talks about new rules meant to cut carbon emissions from light vehicles but the complexity of the proposed regulation threatens to bog down the negotiations.
Expert: An ethanol plant is not just about ethanol
EU policymakers should recognise the multidimensional added value of ethanol plants, as they don’t produce only ethanol for fuel use but also proteins that are crucial for European agriculture, an expert told EURACTIV.com.
Transport unplugged: Eyes turn to EU’s 2050 climate future
As the European Commission gears up to reveal its long-term climate vision for 2050 on Wednesday (28 November), observers will be watching to see how the EU executive proposes to clean up what is now regarded as the most problematic...
EU protein strategy: Commission working against Europe’s interest?
The European Commission’s recent report on the future of EU protein strategy is a “missed opportunity” as it ignores domestic biofuels production, the EU ethanol industry has said.
Is EU biofuel policy realistic enough?
In an effort to decarbonise the transport sector, EU member states recently decided to revise the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). But how do the updated legislation and other rules currently in the pipeline stack up?
Palm oil ban on the ropes as Commission weighs options
Under the EU’s new renewable energy rules, the European Commission has to define criteria that are meant to curb the use of the most climate-damaging biofuels. A new study warns that if handled incorrectly, the use of fuels like palm oil will increase instead of being phased out.
Electricity and biofuels needed in tandem to meet climate goals, UN report says
First generation biofuels such as palm oil diesel gave bioenergy a bad name, but recent scientific reports have confirmed that policymakers must take into account all the available options in the transport sector to win the climate change battle.
EU bioeconomy strategy and IPCC – planets apart
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicates that biofuels will need to rise 260% by 2030 and 750% by 2050 in order to contain global warming below 1.5°C. Yet, the EU Bioeconomy Strategy, published days after, seems to ignore this, writes James Cogan.
How green is Europe’s tank?
As the need for climate action gets more urgent, new labels give motorists a clearer picture of fuels’ and cars’ eco-friendliness, writes Emmanuel Desplechin.
Showdown over biogas on margins of car CO2 vote
Europe's gas industry wants renewable fuels completely accounted for in updated car CO2 rules. But the MEP charged with helming the legislation's revision hopes to shield her report from industry attacks ahead of a crucial vote on Wednesday (3 October).
EU says cheap Argentine biodiesel ‘subsidised’ but won’t impost tariffs for now
The European Commission has decided not to impose provisional import tariffs on a flood of low-priced Argentine biodiesel until it gathers more information, although it considers the fuel to be subsidised and a potential threat to local producers.
European market ‘open to palm oil’, EU ambassador in Malaysia says
The EU is open to palm oil and there is no ban on the commodity, the head of the European Union Delegation to Malaysia, ambassador Maria Castillo Fernandez, said on 16 July in an apparent attempt to appease Asian producers.OpinionPromoted content
Advanced biofuels are key to decarbonising transportation
The recent agreements on the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) are setting the tone for creating a stable and predictable business environment that will trigger the development of and investment in advanced biofuel production within the EU, argues Markus Rarbach.
Could EU-Indonesia free trade deal end palm oil conundrum?
As a new round of free trade negotiations between the European Union and Indonesia begins in Brussels, Perrine Fournier argues that improving forest governance should be central to any agreement.
Science, public opinion and policy-making
The re-authorisation of Monsanto’s weedkiller glyphosate and the ban of three neonicotinoids – a class of insecticide – have opened a heated debate on the role of science in policy-making.
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