Reports
Updated for 2023: Overview of biofuels policies and markets across the EU
This report tracks progress of the EU and its Member States in achieving energy and climate targets so far and in transposing provisions of the Renewable Energy Directive II when it comes to the transport sector. The overview compiles details on relevant elements of the national transpositions of the Directive and provides information on Member States’ fuels and vehicles markets.
Greenhouse gas abatement costs for passenger cars
This research from studio Gear Up aims to analyse what the role and cost-effectiveness will be for renewable alternatives to reduce the emissions in the passenger car market. While answering the following research question “What is the potential role of various renewable fuel and drivetrain options for climate action in the passenger car segment, based on their greenhouse gas emission abatement costs; how do these abatement costs change over time; and how fast and easy can these options be deployed to reduce climate emissions?”
E20 Supply and Demand Study
Renewable ethanol is expected to play an important role in the realisation of the EU’s energy and climate ambitions to 2030. One of the main factors limiting the potential contribution of renewable ethanol to decarbonisation of the road vehicle fleet is the level at which ethanol is blended into gasoline. One option to overcome this is through the standardisation and use of mid-level ethanol blends in gasoline, such as an E20 grade which could use ethanol (up to 20% in volume) and/or other oxygenates (such as ETBE). Work ongoing over the last five years has shown that higher blends are a valid option for ethanol blending in gasoline. In this study, E4tech investigates the potential demand for ethanol in 2030 if E20 were used across the gasoline pool in two scenarios, and how this might be supplied.
Europe’s Clean Mobility Outlook: Scenarios for the EU light-duty vehicle fleet, associated energy needs and emissions, 2020-2050
The new study, “Europe’s Clean Mobility Outlook: Scenarios for the EU light-duty vehicle fleet, associated energy needs and emissions, 2020-2050”, was carried out by independent consultancy firm Ricardo Energy & Environment. It found that use of low-carbon fuels like renewable EU ethanol could provide additional GHG reductions that would otherwise not be achieved and could also mitigate for potential uncertainty in longer-term GHG intensity of electricity. The report examined three possible scenarios for the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) in Europe. Even under the most ambitious scenario, EVs would make up 15.7% of the EU passenger car fleet and 40% of new passenger car sales in 2030. Importantly, the study also looked at the related direct and Well-To-Wheels GHG emissions of these different scenarios depending on the amount of low-carbon fuels in the energy mix.
Poll: Europeans want EU policy to promote crop-based biofuels
Europeans overwhelmingly support the use of conventional biofuels made from crops and believe EU policy should encourage it, according to an EU-wide opinion survey released today. More than 69 percent of Europeans surveyed say conventional biofuels should be encouraged, while just 15 percent think they should not, according to the EuroPulse poll of 11,283 respondents in 28 EU countries. The survey also found that 68 percent of Europeans favour EU policies to support crop-based conventional biofuels, while just 12 percent are against such policies.