Europe to introduce requirements for fuels' life-cycle emissions cuts
Fri 28 November 2008
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Europe is moving closer to finalising a new fuel quality law which will require fuel suppliers to cut full life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions from road fuels by six per cent between 2010 and 2020.
ENDS reports that the cuts are expected to come from production efficiency improvements and a switch to biofuels and other cleaner fuels. Biofuel sustainability criteria will be added to the new law once they have been agreed in separate negotiations relating to the new Renewable Energy Directive. (See related story via associated link).
The deal will require oil companies, and other fuel suppliers, to cut road fuel life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by six per cent from 2010 to 2020. The Commission had proposed earlier that there should be a mandatory 10 per cent cut. The Commission says that it will review progress in 2012 and may then propose an extra two per cent cut requirement.
In response to the news the European oil industry trade body, EUROPIA, said the six per cent emission cut made the new law "more aligned" with a target to boost biofuels expected in the Renewables Directive. The Association repeated that the reduction target should not apply to fossil fuels and that it would not improve refinery efficiency beyond the level already being encouraged by the EU's emission trading system.
The environment group, T&E welcomed the agreement as "a very good step in a very positive direction" and said the mandatory reduction would prevent fuel suppliers sourcing fuels from very carbon-intensive tar sands and coal-to-liquid processes.
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