Biofuels
EU Parliament unwilling to reject Commission’s biofuel criteria
Despite a strong negative reaction from EU farmers and industry, the European Parliament does not seem likely to oppose the Commission's delegated act on sustainability criteria for biofuels.
Biofuels: Commission blacklists palm oil, throws soybeans lifeline
In an eagerly-awaited decision, the European Commission last week categorised palm oil as a high-emitting biofuel crop but provided some controversial exemptions for smallholders and spared soybeans from the delegated act's provisions.
Aviation risks undercutting EU’s new renewables rules
The ink is barely dry on the EU’s revised renewable energy policy and already it is under threat from the aviation sector, warn Jori Sihvonen and Andrew Murphy.OpinionPromoted content
Europe’s palm oil strategy is fading
A vote by the French National Assembly to exclude palm oil from their list of eligible biofuels will have implications for the EU's new renewable energy law, writes Pierre Bois d’Enghien.
Biofuel sustainability criteria ‘blocked’ in EU Commission
A delegated act determining the sustainability criteria of biofuels under the new renewable energy directive (RED II) has been blocked in the European Commission as some Commissioners found the criteria “too light”, EURACTIV has learnt.
Argentina clinches deal to resume biodiesel exports to EU
Argentina and the EU reached an agreement to end a dispute over exports of biodiesel from the South American country to the bloc, the Argentine ministry of foreign affairs said on Wednesday (30 January).
E10 safe in all petrol cars
Folklore shouldn’t stop progress: if a car works fine with today’s petrol from EU filling stations, it will work just fine with the new E10 petrol, writes Ethanol Europe's James Cogan.
US soy for producing biofuels, an ‘unsustainable’ giveaway to Trump
The Commission is set to offer Washington a way out from current trade tensions with China authorising imports of soybeans from the US to produce biofuels. However, the new imports to help ease trade relations are not helping the environment.
Palm oil no longer considered ‘biofuel’ in France
In a rare revolt against the government, the French National Assembly has passed a bill explicitly saying palm oil "is not a biofuel" and won't be eligible for tax breaks as of 1 January 2020. In Europe, a decision is expected in the coming weeks. EURACTIV France reports.
Time is running out for biofuels sustainability criteria
The European Commission’s Directorate-General (DG) of Energy will only give two days to other DGs to express their opinion about its much-awaited proposal on the sustainability criteria of biofuels, which will determine the future of palm oil in Europe.
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.Supporters
