Farmers and Industry leaders including ICSA president Patrick Kent have questioned the European Commission proposals for new legislation on clean energy which has significant implications for crop-based biofuels. Speaking following the publication of the document Mr Kent said, in strong terms: “It beggars belief that these proposals can be described as a clean energy policy when they actually undermine crop-based biofuels.” These proposals refer to the target for the crop biofuel component of EU transport fuels. It demands a reduction from 7% down to 3.8% by 2030.
Continuing Mr Kent said “Up to this point, the Commission has been supportive of biofuels yet they have now decided to reverse their policy without any scientific basis for so doing. Crop-based biofuels are good for farmers, good for the environment and good for Europe. This move today from the Commission simply defies logic and ICSA will be pressing for its immediate reconsideration.”
The EC views this introduction of a cap on the contribution of food-based biofuels; towards the EU renewable energy target, starting at 7% in 2021 and going down progressively to 3.8% in 2030; as a mechanism to minimise the Indirect Land-Use Change (ILUC) impacts.
It is also proposing to introduce a new sustainability criterion on forest biomass. It proposes an obligation on European transport fuel suppliers to provide an increasing share of renewable and low-carbon fuels, including advanced biofuels, renewable transport fuels of non-biological origin for example hydrogen, waste-based fuels and renewable electricity.
In energy terms, the level of this obligation will progressively increase from 1.5% in 2021 to 6.8 % in 2030, including at least 3.6% of advanced biofuels. Preferential rules apply to advanced aviation fuels in order to support their deployment in the aviation sector, the EC has said in a statement. It also plans to introduce national databases to ensure traceability of the fuels and mitigate the risk of fraud.
Forthcoming Events: 23rd-24th January 2017, 14th international Conference on Renewable Mobility Fuels of the Future