EU drops ‘accounting trick’ to boost green fuel in road transport

The biofuels industry has welcomed the European Commission's proposal to end the statistical inflation of waste-based biofuels in the EU's road transport energy mix, a practice they say camouflaged the use of fossil fuels.

EU energy tax plan seeks to end ‘hidden advantage’ for fossil fuels

A proposed new EU-wide fuel taxation system based on energy content rather than volume seeks to end incentives for petrol and diesel, aiming instead to support the uptake of green biofuels, renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuels.

EU green jet fuel proposal shuns crop-based biofuels, focuses on next generation

Proposed EU legislation aimed at cutting flight emissions by ramping up the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) has excluded the use of first-generation biofuels, arguing they bring "limited environmental benefits".

Narrow focus on electrifying vehicles will harm climate efforts, says fuels industry

Favouring electrification while ignoring low-carbon liquid fuels will hinder the bloc's efforts to decarbonise road transport, a prominent industry body has said ahead of the release of the EU's climate law package.

LEAK: EU to propose aviation fuel tax in green policy push

The European Commission has drafted plans to set an EU-wide minimum tax rate for polluting aviation fuels, as it seeks to meet more ambitious targets to fight climate change, a document seen by Reuters shows.

Electrification push won’t green cars on the roads: fuel industry

EU policymakers’ focus on electric vehicles risks overlooking the need to decarbonise internal combustion engine (ICE) cars currently on EU roads, representatives from the European fuel and automotive industry have warned.

Fit for purpose? The role of renewable fuels on the road to 2030 and beyond

As part of its EU Green Deal legislative roadmap, the European Commission will propose sweeping new energy and climate legislation aimed at reducing emissions by 55% by 2030.

EU green jet fuel mandate will carve out market for big players, industry warns

An EU mandate for the use of animal fats and used cooking oils in sustainable aviation fuel is set to enrich large biofuel players such as Total and Neste, at the expense of most of the industry, the European Waste-to-Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA) has warned.

Draft EU policy to cut shipping emissions condemned as ‘disaster’

A leaked draft of a key EU policy designed to cut carbon emissions in shipping, one of the world’s biggest polluters, has been described as an environmental disaster for “promoting” liquified natural gas, a fossil fuel, as an alternative to heavy oil. EURACTIV's media partner, The Guardian, reports.

Commission admits fossil fuel share ‘likely’ higher in transport without multipliers

Without multipliers - a statistical methodology used to encourage the uptake of renewable energy in transport, primarily in electric cars -  the share of fossil fuels in transport is “likely” to be higher than the official figures published by Eurostat, a European Commission source told EURACTIV.

Biofuel makers protest against EU’s green investment taxonomy rules

Biofuels made from food-and-feed crops do not meet the EU’s green taxonomy criteria, according to a European Commission proposal, a move biofuel makers said will hamstring Europe's ability to meet green transport goals.

Five EU member states demand stricter oversight of biofuels

Five EU countries have demanded the European Commission establish a framework for stricter supervision of the use of biofuels in the bloc in the wake of a number of cases of fraud relating the sale of used cooking oil of unsustainable origin as transport fuel.

Ethanol boss: electric vehicles are not the future, but part of it

Electric vehicles are not the only future option for the decarbonisation of Europe’s transport sector, but all available sustainable solution should be taken into account, Valérie Corre from the European Renewable Ethanol Association (ePURE) told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

EU farmers chief: Commission is ‘ultra-orthodox’ on biofuels’ sustainability

The European Commission’s insistence on capping conventional biofuels is “ultra-orthodox” as it deprives farmers of a potential market outside the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) while simultaneously hindering agriculture’s environmental potential, the head of EU farmers’ association told EURACTIV in an interview.

Air France uses cooking oil to fly to Canada as green fuel debate rages

Air France-KLM flew a biofuel-powered Airbus A350 from Paris to Montreal on Tuesday (18 May), demonstrating the airline's readiness to adopt low-emissions fuel despite deep industry divisions over the pace of its adoption.

RED III: Europe’s reality check

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Transport is responsible for 27% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU and several pieces of legislation have failed to bring about major changes. The EU executive has already admitted that by 2030, oil will still drive Europe’s cars....

EU’s dismissal of crop-based biofuels will impede transport decarbonisation: industry

The EU's decision to cap the share of crop-based biofuels in the bloc’s energy mix risks hampering efforts to decarbonise the transport sector, industry has warned ahead of the revision of the renewable energy directive.

The Brief, powered by VDMA – The Commission’s happy virtual reality

Europe’s transport decarbonisation has never been an easy task. Transport is responsible for as much as 27% of the total greenhouse gas emissions in the EU and the European Commission admits that by 2030 things will not change dramatically. Several...

Report warns EU about increased imports of palm oil in disguise

A new report has found that the imports of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) intended for the decarbonisation of EU transport are expected to significantly rise. However, the report also called on the EU to put limits on its use, considering its controversial origin and its hidden links to palm oil.

RED II: EU Commission can’t see the wood for the trees, analysts warn

The revision of the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) as part of the new Green Deal should recalibrate the legislative initiatives which have so far failed to decarbonise Europe’s transport sector, stakeholders have said.

Minimum wage policies offer a lesson for advancement of farming

It is not the case that any minimum wage is bad. Equally true, it is not the case that any biofuels demand is bad. Empirical evidence finds that a set minimum wage is beneficial for economy and society. Likewise, biofuel demand contributes to advancing farming, writes Zoltán Szabó.

Czech Republic’s transport decarbonisation ‘trapped’ in local politics

Efforts to decarbonise the Czech Republic’s transport through the increased use of bioethanol have fallen prey to local politics, putting the country’s renewable energy goals at risk. EURACTIV Czech Republic reports.