Report shows transport energy has a significant role to play in delivering GHG reductions
Mon 30 March 2015
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The final report of the Transport Energy Task Force, published on the 29 March, has concluded that transport energy can and should contribute to major reductions in GHG emissions, and that for the foreseeable future, sustainable biofuels have a significant role to play along with other low carbon fuels including methane, LPG and electricity.
The full report is available on the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) website.The Department for Transport (DfT) and the LowCVP established the Transport Energy Task Force as a mechanism for stakeholders to help the Government to examine and formulate options for policy regarding transport energy. Specifically the Task Force was asked to consider how the EU 2020 greenhouse gas emissions reduction and renewable transport fuel targets should be reflected in UK policy and determine how low carbon fuels can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from UK transport in the period to 2030 and beyond.
Transport is a major source of greenhouse gases, emitting around a quarter of domestic carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing greenhouse gases from transport will help the UK achieve its long-term goal of reducing the greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% compared to 1990 levels by 2050. While vehicle efficiency and demand management are vitally important measures, transport energy can and should make a significant contribution to GHG savings particularly in the longer term.
Electrification of transport is a cornerstone of current policy to reduce carbon emissions from transport, however liquid and gaseous fuels will remain dominant in combustion engines and there is an opportunity for the foreseeable future for sustainable biofuels to play a substantial role towards the achievement of deep carbon reductions in transport by 2030 and beyond.
The Task Force agreed that the goals for UK transport energy policy should focus on securing the greatest possible cost effective GHG emission reductions from transport energy, and providing greater certainty and clarity about the sustainability of all fuels. This will require a collaborative environment which will foster innovation and investment in sustainable biofuels in the UK. To deliver this the UK should make clear policy objectives and trajectories to 2030, introduce improved sustainability criteria, encourage investment in advanced renewable fuels and create a market which is supportive of domestic investment in new biofuels.
Compliance with the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directive targets for 2020 will be challenging and not necessarily consistent with the longer term GHG and sustainability aspirations, however there are a number of options available to the UK. The Task Force believe the pathway to delivery of GHG emission reductions in 2020 should minimise commercial, sustainability and market acceptance risks and uncertainty, and needs to be consistent with that for the UK’s goals for 2030.
The deployment strategy for replacement fuels and blends must absolutely ensure that fuel supply remains fit for purpose for use with available vehicles and infrastructure and conform to established international fuel specifications. A key enabler for unlocking the potential of transport energy to deliver GHG savings will be the development of the fuelling infrastructure for future fuel strategy. LowCVP has commissioned a report to develop a transport energy infrastructure roadmap, to be published later this year. Details on the infrastructure roadmap are available from the LowCVP website.
There were varying views on the best ways forward, and some members disagreed on whether the 2020 targets were achievable or desirable. However, if the UK Government wishes to meet the EU 2020 transport targets there are two mass market measures which would probably be necessary to achieve them, these are: displacing petrol with higher bioethanol levels, which could include moving to E10, and displacing diesel with high levels of waste and residue derived biodiesel up to the established B7 limit.
Longer term there is a significant growth potential for the UK in advanced fuels. The UK is currently well placed to move both gasoline and diesel biofuels towards more advanced and sustainable supplies based upon the knowledge and investments of domestic producers. The report calls for support to develop this expertise and investment through the adoption of a target for sustainable advanced biofuels, and complementary fiscal and capital support. The report also calls for consistent sustainability definitions across all energy sectors which use biomass and the group considered that the UK is well placed to continue to lead this debate.
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