Renewable Energy Directive II

An ambitious EU-wide renewable energy target by 2030

FuelsEurope welcomes the Commission’s proposal on the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II) as the policy instrument to promote the use of renewable energy in the electricity, heating & cooling and the transport sector and recognises that the deployment of renewable energy is one of the main measures to tackle security of supply and climate change. FuelsEurope considers that transport can play an important role in achieving the EU-wide renewable energy target of at least 27% renewables in 2030. Homogeneous policy across the EU will be key in creating conditions that remain predictable and stable over the long term and that prevent fragmentation of the EU single energy market.

Renewable energy in transport: the role of liquid fuels of biological origin

Blends of sustainable biofuels with petroleum fuels contribute to the achievement of the EU-wide renewable energy target as well as to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport. FuelsEurope welcomes the proposal to use RED II to promote the use of renewable transport fuels as well as focusing on incentivising developments in advanced biofuels.

However, it is important that RED II also recognises the role that sustainable first-generation biofuels can play in meeting GHG reduction targets for the road transport sector in a cost effective way.
One big advantage of biofuels with respect to other low carbon transport alternatives is that they do not need new fuelling infrastructure. The current extremely flexible, reliable and wide network of terminals, depots, pipelines, rail and road tankers and petrol stations can be readily used to distribute biofuels blended with petroleum fuels without further significant investment.

Moreover, the benefits of biofuels in terms of lower GHG emissions can be delivered immediately by the current fleet of 250 million cars and 38 million trucks rather than to be limited to new vehicle technologies.
The combination of high quality petroleum fuels, sustainable biofuels and innovations in internal combustion engines offers great potential at comparatively low cost for the progressive reduction of GHG emissions in transport.

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