EU parliament votes to up renewables, energy efficiency
The European Parliament's energy committee today voted to increase the share of renewables in the bloc's energy mix to a 45pc target and to increase energy savings, reducing usage by at least 40pc in final energy consumption, both by 2030.
A large majority of the committee adopted legislation revising the 2018 Renewable Energy Directive (RED). This second recast of the directive, known as RED III, classifies soy as a feedstock with high risk of causing indirect land use change and confirms a 16pc cut in transport fuels' greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity compared with current figures. It also sets out details prioritising non-energy uses of biomass ahead of bioenergy.
Other targets were confirmed. The share of advanced biofuels and biogas in the transport sector should rise to at least 0.5pc by 2025 and 2.2pc by 2030 and the share of renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs), including hydrogen, should increase to at least 2.6pc in 2028 and at least 5.7pc in 2030 in the transport sector. But the committee rejected a legal report that aimed to set aside forthcoming technical legislation establishing stricter conditions for the definition of renewable hydrogen.
German centre-right lawmaker Markus Pieper, parliament's lead negotiator on RED III, said there was a large majority behind the 45pc renewables target share for final energy consumption by 2030.
"We have adopted many pragmatic solutions that are much more ambitious and innovative than the initial European Commission proposal," he said. The commission in July 2021 called for a 40pc renewables share by 2030. This was revised in May to 45pc in proposals aimed at cutting dependence on Russian fossil fuels.
The committee further agreed on a separate legislative report confirming cross-party support for a 40pc cut in final energy consumption or 42.5pc for primary energy consumption compared to projections made in 2007 for 2030. This equates to a 14.5pc final energy consumption cut by 2030 compared to present figures. German green politician Jutta Paulus welcomed the committee's vote for an EU efficiency target of 14.5 percent as well as national savings commitments.
"Voluntary and low targets will not bring about the changes that are urgently needed," she said, noting further pressure could lead to an end of subsidies for "climate-damaging" fossil gas boilers as an efficiency measure. The committee also agreed to mandate firms to obtain annual energy savings obligations from end-consumers of 2pc in 2024-2030. Public buildings must obtain annual savings of 2pc.
Parliament is scheduled to vote on the renewables and energy efficiency reforms in September, and negotiations will then begin with EU member states over a final legal text. EU energy ministers have already reached a common position on energy efficiency and reform of the renewables directive.
Related news posts
Biomethanol market slows, but shipowners eye offtakes
Biomethanol market slows, but shipowners eye offtakes
London, 16 May (Argus) — The UK's biomethanol consumption fell by 37pc last year as competition from alternative renewable fuel compliance options weighed on demand. The UK consumed 40mn litres of biomethanol in 2023, down from 63mn l in 2022, 53mn l in 2021 and 48mn l in 2020, according to provisional data from the country's Department for Transport. Biomethanol is used as a blending component for gasoline in the UK. Market participants attribute the decline in demand to ample supply of competitively priced alternatives to meet the UK's mandate for the use of renewable fuels in the transport sector. Fob ARA range biodiesel prices fell to a 19-month low towards the end of 2023 , following an unusually large influx of supply to Europe from China since the start of the year. EU biodiesel imports from China reached a record 1.06mn t in 2023 , up from 557,000t in 2022, according to GTT data. The increase in imports contributed to lower renewable fuel ticket prices in key European markets, including the UK. Companies supplying biofuels for transport in the UK can generate renewable transport fuel certificates (RTFCs), which are tradeable and can help obligated parties meet the UK's renewables' mandate. The Argus UK non-crop RTFC reduction obligation price averaged 21.79 pence/RTFC in 2023, compared with 36.35p in 2022. The price has averaged 16.79p so far this year, compared with 26.40p and 37.39p in the same period in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The drop in demand for biomethanol from the UK transport sector is weighing on domestic prices. The Argus cif UK biomethanol price has averaged $1,081.43/t so far in May, having been on a consistent downward trend since late October when the price peaked at $1,205/t. The price averaged $1,212.75/t in May 2023. The slowdown in demand has put biomethanol production margins under pressure, prompting some producers to cut output. Silver lining Demand for renewable methanol, in the form of both biomethanol and e-methanol, could be supported by growing interest from the maritime sector in the coming years as shipowners seek to reduce their emssions. The EU's FuelEU maritime regulation is due to come into effect at the start of next year. It aims to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of marine fuels by 2pc in 2025 and by 80pc by 2050. Shipping companies can choose from a wide range of alternative marine fuels to reduce their emissions, but several are betting on methanol and renewable methanol. Danish shipping giant Maersk has ordered 24 methanol-powered container ships for delivery and commissioning during 2024-25, and Japanese classification society ClassNK said in a recent report that it expects a total of 77 methanol-ready ships to be ordered by 2026, up from 27 methanol newbuilds expected to be ordered this year. Offtake agreements for renewable methanol are also on the rise. Maersk has signed several letters of intent for the procurement of biometanol and e-methanol from producers such as Equinor , Proman and OCI Global . The company also said it has secured an agreement with Danish shipping and logistics company Goldwind for the offtake of 500,000 t/yr from 2024. Meanwhile, Singaporean container shipping group X-Press Feeders said last year that it will offtake biomethanol from OCI's Texas plant starting this year. Another spanner in the works? Although the outlook on renewable methanol demand from the shipping sector appears bright, the recognition of biomethane and biomethane-based fuels produced through mass balancing in non-EU grids is uncertain. More than 40 energy companies and institutes have sent joint letters to the European Commission asking for these products to be included in the Union Database , which aims to prevent the relabelling of biofuels' sustainability declaration. The UDB was launched in January 2024 for liquid fuels and will include gaseous fuels in November, but the commission plans to exclude automatic certification of biomethane and biomethane-based fuels if it is transported through gas grids outside of the EU. The measure "is likely to reduce the availability and increase the cost of low- and zero-carbon bunker fuels for shipping" and may also impact hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels, one of the letters sent to the commission said. By Evelina Lungu Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Nayara Energy to set up two ethanol plants in India
Nayara Energy to set up two ethanol plants in India
Mumbai, 16 May (Argus) — Indian private-sector refiner Nayara Energy plans to invest 6bn rupees ($71.9mn) to set up two Indian ethanol plants, each with a production capacity of 200 kilolitre (kl)/d. Nayara has already identified and purchased land in south India's Naidupeta town, Andhra Pradesh state and central India's Balaghat city, Madhya Pradesh state for the proposed plants. The plants will be commissioned by 2026 and will use broken rice and maize as feedstock. The company aims to gradually increase the number of plants to five, with a combined ethanol production capacity of around 1,000 kl/d. "The establishment of ethanol facilities will significantly enhance Nayara Energy's ethanol supply reliability, playing a crucial role in meeting the Indian government's 20pc blending target by the end of fiscal year 2025-2026," Nayara Energy's chief executive officer Alessandro des Dorides said. India achieved 12pc ethanol blending with petrol during November 2023-March 2024, according to the oil ministry. Nayara Energy is also considering a significant expansion of its 400,000 b/d Vadinar refinery, and proposed doubling primary capacity to 800,000 b/d. The Vadinar expansion project would essentially mean building a new refinery at the existing site, Indian oil ministry secretary Pankaj Jain said in February, according to Russian state-owned news agency Tass. Russian state-controlled Rosneft has a 49pc shareholding in Nayara. By Roshni Devi Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
EBRD ‘green project’ funding hit €6.54bn in 2023
EBRD ‘green project’ funding hit €6.54bn in 2023
London, 15 May (Argus) — The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) hit a record level of investments in the "green economy" in 2023, at €6.54bn ($7.1bn) in 337 projects — up from €6.36bn in 2022. The multilateral development bank (MDB) again reached its target for at least 50pc of its total annual investment to go towards green projects. Of total investments, 50pc went to green projects — flat on the year. The EBRD initially set the goal for 2025, but hit it in 2021, with 51pc of its investment going to green projects. The EBRD's investments stood at €13.1bn in 2023 — a new record high — going towards 464 individual projects. The bank has since the beginning of 2023 ensured that all new investment projects are in line with the Paris climate agreement goals. The Paris agreement seeks to limit the rise in temperature to "well below" 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably to 1.5°C. Countries' focus on MDBs and their role in delivering climate finance has intensified in recent years. Climate finance is set to dominate climate talks this year, including at the UN Cop 29 summit, set for November in Baku, Azerbaijan. Mukhtar Babayev, Cop president-designate, last month called on MDBs and parties to the Cop process to deliver on climate finance. The EBRD is owned by 73 shareholder governments, the EU and the European Investment Bank. By Georgia Gratton Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia to explore biofuels mandate, incentives
Australia to explore biofuels mandate, incentives
Sydney, 15 May (Argus) — Australia's federal budget is funding mandate studies and pursuing certification schemes, given the increasing likelihood biofuels will play a significant role in the nation's energy transition. The federal government has pledged A$18.5mn ($12.3mn) in the four years from 2024-25 to develop a certification scheme for low-carbon liquid fuels, including SAF and renewable diesel, by expanding its guarantee of origin programme for long-term demand by the industry . An extra A$1.5mn over two years from 2024-25 will go to analysis of the regulatory impact of the costs and benefits of introducing mandates for low-carbon liquid fuels, while the government has promised consultation on possible production incentives for domestic project developers. Money from the A$1.7bn Future Made in Australia innovation fund will also be made available for liquid fuels research, to be administered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to commercialise net zero technology. "The package of announcements is dealing with crucial areas essential for deployment, including certification to ensure Australia develops a sustainable liquid fuels industry, resourcing to support key demand side interventions such as a low carbon fuels standard and consultation on additional supply-side measures such as production credits," Bioenergy Australia chief executive Shahana McKenzie said on 15 May. The funding pales in comparison to the $9bn hydrogen investment promised by the government, although much of that is deferred to the decade from the 2027-28 fiscal year. About 45pc of Australia's energy use is supplied by liquid fuels but the nations lags behind many countries on decarbonising its transport sector. Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation forecasts demand for jet fuel will grow 75pc by 2050. But no domestic production facility has yet reached a financial close, despite major airlines committing to increasing their SAF use. Domestic feedstocks including agricultural residues could meet 60pc of Australian jet fuel demand initially, growing to 90pc by 2050, Bioenergy Australia has said, while pursuing renewable fuels could cut the country's dependence on oil product imports from 90pc to 61pc by 2040. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Business intelligence reports
Get concise, trustworthy and unbiased analysis of the latest trends and developments in oil and energy markets. These reports are specially created for decision makers who don’t have time to track markets day-by-day, minute-by-minute.
Learn more