Renewable Hydrogen Coalition
Date: 2021-10-13
In Brussels, the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition (RHC) is reporting Ignacio Galan, CEO of the Spanish energy group Iberdrola, will be acting as RHC Chairman and Sunfire CEO Nils Aldag will be contributing as Vice-Chair. The RHC aims to:

Give a voice to the renewable hydrogen industry in Europe and position Europe as the global leader in renewable hydrogen;

Build a high-level and interdisciplinary network of innovators, investors, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders from the rapidly growing renewable hydrogen community, including industrial off-takers;

Inform the policy debate with concrete proposals for the scaling up and market uptake of renewable hydrogen -- traceability, infrastructure investments, market design, and incentives.

As recently reported, the European Commission's "Fit for 55" package sets clear targets for the rapid scale-up and use of renewable hydrogen and to make Europe the global leader in renewable hydrogen. (Source: Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, Website, PR. Sept., Oct., 2021) Contact: Renewable Hydrogen Coalition, www.renewableh2.eu

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green Hydrogen,  Renewable Hydrogen Coalition,  Sunfire,  Iberdrola ,  

ePURE
Date: 2021-09-27
"The name 'Fit for 55' is already part of the EU common language -- shorthand for a sweeping set of proposals to remake the legislative landscape for energy and climate policy. (The "Fit for 55' package of proposals aim to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas *GHG) missions by at least 55 pct by 2030.)

"For the EU biofuels industry, the new proposals -- including major changes to policies on renewable energy, alternative fuels infrastructure, the Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and energy taxation, as well as a de facto deadline for the end of the internal combustion engine -- promise a potentially bumpy road ahead as the implications become clear to policymakers as they fine-tune this legislation in the coming months: unleashing the true potential of crop-based ethanol and creating a policy environment that can spark investment in advanced ethanol are must-have components of any realistic roadmap to carbon-neutrality.

"Transport Decarbonisation -- As usual, the signals from the Commission about whether biofuels can play a major role in transport decarbonisation are mixed. On the one hand, the Fit for 55 package sets important new goals for emissions reduction and creates a solid foundation for reaching them by giving a role to renewable liquid fuels in decarbonising transport. On the other, the Commission still hesitates to make the best use of emissions-reduction tools it has today, including biofuels -- even when targets have been raised to such a degree that their contribution is essential.

"Fully enabling biofuels in the drive to carbon-neutrality is just common sense. Even under a scenario in which electric vehicles make rapid gains in market share and the sale of internal combustion engines is phased out, the EU car fleet will consist predominantly of vehicles that run fully or partly on liquid fuel in 2030 and beyond. For these petrol and hybrid cars, renewable ethanol is the most cost-effective and socially inclusive way to reduce emissions. Europe cannot afford to ignore this View on transport decarbonization are mixed important part of the equation.

"Sustainability Issues -- With the main components of the Fit for 55 package, the Commission should fully maximize the tools it has on hand for decarbonisation -- especially the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). This is the third time since 2009 the Commission has tried to get RED right. With Fit for 55, the Commission finally realizes that to succeed it needs to focus on higher GHG intensity reduction targets that drive renewable energy in transport, without multipliers that hide the EU's continued reliance on fossil fuels.

Now that sustainability issues have been settled, the EU should unleash the potential of crop-based biofuels and encourage the wider deployment of advanced biofuels. The main questions about the sustainability of biofuels were settled after RED II was adopted in 2018 by phasing out high ILUC-risk biofuels.

"We know that deforestation and outdated 'food vs fuel' arguments do not apply to EU renewable ethanol. So with this revision we should be taking the next logical step and unleashing the potential of good biofuels. Other Fit for 55 components should work in concert to promote solutions that make a realistic impact on decarbonisation.

"The CO2 for Cars Standards should include more than just one technology and recognize the benefits of renewable fuels such as ethanol to reduce the carbon-footprint of cars on the road. The Energy Taxation Directive should incentivize renewable fuels, moving away from volume-based taxation and a parallel Emissions Trading System for transport should complement, not replace, binding national targets for emissions reductions in the Effort Sharing Regulation, and avoid increased fuel prices and social discontent.

"As the European Parliament and EU Member States go to work on this legislative package from the Commission in the coming months, it will be interesting to see whether Fit for 55 can be made fit for purpose." (Source: ePURE, Sept., 2021)

Editor's note -- ePURE, the European renewable ethanol association reports its members produced 5.57 billion litres (1.45 billion gallon +-) of ethanol and 6.16 million tonnes of co-products in 2020, with a significant increase in production of ethanol for industrial use. ePURE represents 35 members,including 19 ethanol producers with around 50 plants across the EU and UK, accounting for about 85 pct of EU renewable ethanol production. Contact: ePURE, Emmanuel Desplechin, Secretary General, www.epure.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fit for 55,  ePURE,  Ethanol,  Carbon Emissions,  Decarbonization,  EU ETS,  

Neste, Fit for 55
Date: 2021-07-23
Helsinki-headquartered Neste Oyi issued the following comments in welcoming the EU's "Fit for 55" commitment to long-term policies and the ambition to become climate neutral by 2050:

"As a whole, the Fit for 55 package seems to provide the tools to combat the climate crisis during this decade by raising the ambition level of emission cuts across different sectors of the economy. It will support the growth of renewable fuels markets in both road and aviation segments. The Commission's proposal to establish an EU-wide obligation to supply a growing minimum share of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) as of 2025 will create a large market and progressively cut down emissions from flying. The package also supports Neste's climate commitments, including to reach carbon neutral production by 2035. Now that the EC's proposals will enter the legislative process, it will be important to further raise the level of ambition and keep the focus on emission cuts by various solutions, not only by specific technologies," notes Neste VP for Public Affairs, Ilkka Rasanen.

"Neste firmly believes that all solutions are needed in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the societies. On European roads, the number of electric cars is growing at a rapid pace, which is a logical and welcome development as the power generation sector is embracing emission free technologies. However, achieving the ambitious climate targets requires both EVs and renewable transport fuels, as internal combustion engine vehicles will keep playing a key role for a long time, particularly in heavy-duty vehicles. The average age of cars in Europe is more than 10 years; this means that many new vehicles sold today will still be in use for another 15-20 years. When it comes to especially heavy-duty vehicles, internal combustion engines and renewable fuels, both biofuels and so-called e-fuels (Power-to-X), will be needed for a long time. After all, the combustion engine is not the problem when the fuel is renewable and sustainably produced. Already today, customers using the Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ made from 100 pct renewable raw materials can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90 pct compared to fossil diesel.

"The aviation industry has already taken steps in the right direction by committing to the target of achieving carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onwards. Neste, as the world's leading producer of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), is committed to helping the aviation industry meet the proposed EU-wide obligation.

"Following its sustainable sourcing principles, Neste continues to develop the availability of emerging, lower-quality waste and residue raw materials, as well as agricultural and forest harvesting residues, algae and municipal solid waste as future raw materials. Neste is also exploring Power-to-X technologies as a new renewable fuel." (Source: Neste, PR, Website 16 July, 2021)Contact: Neste, Ilkka Rasanen, Vice President, Public Affairs, +358 50 458 5123, www.neste.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Neste,  Biofuel,  Fit for 55,  

IATA
Date: 2021-07-21
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) warned that the reliance on taxation as the solution for cutting aviation emissions as outlined in the just released EU 'Fit for 55' proposal is "counter-productive to the goal of sustainable aviation." According the IATA, EU policy needs to support practical emission reduction measures such as incentives for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and air traffic management modernization.

To achieve aviation decarbonisation IATA pledges to promote the use of SAF which reduce emissions by up to 80 pct compared to traditional jet fuel. IATA noted insufficient supply and high prices have limited airline uptake to only 120 million litres in 2021. (Source: IATA, PR, 20 July, 2021) Contact: IATA, Willie Walsh, Dir. Gen. www.iata.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News SAF,  Aviation Biofuel,  IATA,  

European Green Deal
Date: 2021-07-16
On Wednesday the 14th, the European Commission (EC) announced the adoption of a package of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 pct by 2030 (Fit for 55), compared to 1990 levels. Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality. With today's proposals, the Commission is presenting the legislative tools to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate Law and fundamentally transform our economy and society for a fair, green and prosperous future. The following proposals will enable the necessary acceleration of greenhouse gas emission reductions in the next decade:

The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) puts a price on carbon and lowers the cap on emissions from certain economic sectors every year. It has successfully brought down emissions from power generation and energy-intensive industries by 42.8 pct in the past 16 years. The EC is proposing to lower the overall emission cap even further and increase its annual rate of reduction and to phase out free emission allowances for aviation and align with the global Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) and to include shipping emissions for the first time in the EU ETS.

To complement the substantial spending on climate in the EU budget, Member States should spend the entirety of their emissions trading revenues on climate and energy-related projects. A dedicated part of the revenues from the new system for road transport and buildings should address the possible social impact on vulnerable households, micro-enterprises and transport users.

The Effort Sharing Regulation assigns strengthened emissions reduction targets to each Member State for buildings, road and domestic maritime transport, agriculture, waste and small industries. Recognizing the different starting points and capacities of each Member State, these targets are based on their GDP per capita, with adjustments made to take cost efficiency into account.

Member States also share responsibility for removing carbon from the atmosphere, so the Regulation on Land Use, Forestry and Agriculture sets an overall EU target for carbon removals by natural sinks, equivalent to 310 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030. National targets will require Member States to care for and expand their carbon sinks to meet this target. By 2035, the EU should aim to reach climate neutrality in the land use, forestry and agriculture sectors, including also agricultural non-CO2 emissions, such as those from fertilizer use and livestock. The EU Forest Strategy aims to improve the quality, quantity and resilience of EU forests. It supports foresters and the forest-based bioeconomy while keeping harvesting and biomass use sustainable, preserving biodiversity, and setting out a plan to plant three billion trees across Europe by 2030.

Energy production and use accounts for 75 pct of EU emissions, so accelerating the transition to a greener energy system is crucial. The Renewable Energy Directive will set an increased target to produce 40 pct of our energy from renewable sources by 2030. All Member States will contribute to this goal, and specific targets are proposed for renewable energy use in transport, heating and cooling, buildings and industry. To meet both our climate and environmental goals, sustainability criteria for the use of bioenergy are strengthened and Member States must design any support schemes for bioenergy in a way that respects the cascading principle of uses for woody biomass.

To reduce overall energy use, cut emissions and tackle energy poverty, the Energy Efficiency Directive will set a more ambitious binding annual target for reducing energy use at EU level. It will guide how national contributions are established and almost double the annual energy saving obligation for Member States. The public sector will be required to renovate 3 pct of its buildings each year to drive the renovation wave, create jobs and bring down energy use and costs to the taxpayer.

A combination of measures is required to tackle rising emissions in road transport to complement emissions trading. Stronger CO2 emissions standards for cars and vans will accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility by requiring average emissions of new cars to come down by 55 pct from 2030 and 100 pct from 2035 compared to 2021 levels. As a result, all new cars registered as of 2035 will be zero-emission. To ensure that drivers are able to charge or fuel their vehicles at a reliable network across Europe, the revised Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation will require Member States to expand charging capacity in line with zero-emission car sales, and to install charging and fuelling points at regular intervals on major highways: every 60 kilometres for electric charging and every 150 kilometres for hydrogen refuelling.

Aviation and maritime fuels cause significant pollution and also require dedicated action to complement emissions trading. The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation requires that aircraft and ships have access to clean electricity supply in major ports and airports. The ReFuelEU Aviation Initiative will oblige fuel suppliers to blend increasing levels of sustainable aviation fuels in jet fuel taken on-board at EU airports, including synthetic low carbon fuels, known as e-fuels. Similarly, the FuelEU Maritime Initiative will stimulate the uptake of sustainable maritime fuels and zero-emission technologies by setting a maximum limit on the greenhouse gas content of energy used by ships calling at European ports.

The tax system for energy products must safeguard and improve the Single Market and support the green transition by setting the right incentives. A revision of the Energy Taxation Directive proposes to align the taxation of energy products with EU energy and climate policies, promoting clean technologies and removing outdated exemptions and reduced rates that currently encourage the use of fossil fuels. The new rules aim at reducing the harmful effects of energy tax competition, helping secure revenues for Member States from green taxes, which are less detrimental to growth than taxes on labour.

Finally, a new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (Tax) will put a carbon price on imports of a targeted selection of products to ensure that ambitious climate action in Europe does not lead to 'carbon leakage.' This will ensure that European emission reductions contribute to a global emissions decline, instead of pushing carbon-intensive production outside Europe. It also aims to encourage industry outside the EU and our international partners to take steps in the same direction.

European Green Deal, www.ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en. (Source: EC, PR, 14 July, 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News European Green Deal,  

European Green Deal
Date: 2021-07-16
On Wednesday the 14th, the European Commission (ED) adopted a package of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 pct by 2030 (Fit for 55), compared to 1990 levels. Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality. With today's proposals, the Commission is presenting the legislative tools to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate Law.

The EU Forest Strategy supports the forest-based bioeconomy while keeping harvesting and biomass use sustainable, preserving biodiversity, and setting out a plan to plant three billion trees across Europe by 2030. To meet both our climate and environmental goals, sustainability criteria for the use of bioenergy are strengthened and EU Member States must design any support schemes for bioenergy in a way that respects the cascading principle of uses for woody biomass.

The Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Regulation ReFuelEU Aviation Initiative will oblige fuel suppliers to blend increasing levels of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in jet fuel taken on-board at EU airports, including synthetic low carbon fuels. Similarly, the FuelEU Maritime Initiative will stimulate the uptake of sustainable maritime fuels and zero-emission technologies by setting a maximum limit on the greenhouse gas content of energy used by ships calling at European ports.

European Green Deal, www.ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en. (Source: EC, PR, 14 July, 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Fit for 55,  Bioeconomy,  European Green Deal,  SAF,  Biofuel,  Biomass,  GHG,  

European Green Deal
Date: 2021-07-16
On Wednesday the 14th, the European Commission (EC) adopted a package of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 pct by 2030 (Fit for 55) , compared to 1990 levels. Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality. With the Fit for 55 proposals, the Commission is presenting the legislative tools to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate Law and fundamentally transform the EU economy and society.

To reduce overall energy use, cut emissions and tackle energy poverty, the Energy Efficiency Directive will set a more ambitious binding annual target for reducing energy use and will guide how national contributions are established and almost double the annual energy saving obligation for Member States. The public sector will be required to renovate 3 pct of its buildings each year to drive the renovation wave, bring down energy use and costs.

European Green Deal, www.ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en. (Source: EC, PR, 14 July, 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News European Green Deal,  Energy Consumption,  Energy Management,  Energy Efficiency,  GHG,  

European Green Deal
Date: 2021-07-16
On Wednesday the 14th, the European Commission (EC) adopted a package of proposals to make the EU's climate, energy, land use, transport and taxation policies fit for reducing net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 pct (Fit for 55)by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Achieving these emission reductions in the next decade is crucial to Europe becoming the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050 and making the European Green Deal a reality.

With the proposals, the Commission is presenting the legislative tools to deliver on the targets agreed in the European Climate Law and fundamentally transform the EU economy and society for a fair, green and prosperous future.

Energy production and use accounts for 75 pct of EU emissions, so accelerating the transition to a greener energy system is crucial. The Renewable Energy Directive will set an increased target to produce 40 pct of EU energy from renewable sources by 2030. All EU Member States will contribute to this goal, and specific targets are proposed for renewable energy use in transport, heating and cooling, buildings and industry.

European Green Deal, www.ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en. (Source: EC, PR, 14 July, 2021)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  European Green Deal,  

ePURE
Date: 2021-06-25
ePURE, the European ethanol industry trade association, is reporting production and use of renewable ethanol from ePURE members reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by an average of more than 75 pct compared to fossil fuels in 2020. It was the ninth consecutive year in which EU renewable ethanol increased its GHG reduction score.

According to the ePURE release, the record-breaking figure strengthens the already-convincing case for renewable ethanol as one of the best available tools the EU has for decarbonising road transport. With the European Commission's imminent "Fit for 55" legislative package expected to increase targets for emissions reduction and for renewable energy in transport, it is clear the EU will need to make the most of readily available low-carbon solutions such as ethanol.

The record-high GHG-saving performance of ePURE members' ethanol was also accompanied by significant production of animal feed (4.22 million tonnes) and of captured CO2 (0.87 million tonnes). The 2020 findings were compiled from ePURE members and certified by auditing firm Copartner.

ePURE's membership includes 19 producing companies with around 50 refineries across the EU and UK, accounting for about 85 pct of EU renewable ethanol production. (Source: ePURE, PR, Website, 23 June, 2021) Contact: ePURE, Emmanuel Desplechin, Secretary General, www.epure.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News ePURE,  Ethanol,  Biofuel,