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Shipping sector generates 81pc of 2022 Dutch HBE-Gs

  • Market: Biofuels
  • 16/01/23

Dutch oil companies generated around 17.35mn renewable fuel units (HBE), or tickets, in April-December 2022, most of them advanced HBE-Gs.

Each gigajoule of renewable energy that companies physically deliver to the Dutch transport sector generates one HBE, which fuel suppliers can then trade to help achieve their annual obligation. For the 2022 compliance year, the targeted share of renewable energy in the Dutch transport sector is 17.9pc, up from 17.5pc in the previous year.

The Dutch Emissions Authority (NEa) issued around 15.72mn HBE-Gs — advanced energy units generated by biofuels produced from feedstock listed in Annex IX Part A of the EU's recast Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) — between April and December last year, up from 5.85mn during the same period of 2021.

Advanced biofuels used in seagoing vessels can be double-counted, but from 2022 the NEa introduced an additional multiplier of 0.8, effectively allowing a 1.6 multiplier for advanced biofuels in maritime transport, to keep the "extensive use" of advanced biofuels in shipping in check. Around 12.67mn HBE-Gs generated in April-December, or 81pc of the total, came from the shipping sector, the data show, prompting the NEa to remove brown grease, a popular feedstock used for biofuels in shipping, from the list of advanced feedstocks approved in the HBE scheme in late December 2022.

Oil companies booked around 5.18mn HBE-IXBs, tickets generated through waste-based biofuels, and around 170,000 HBE-Os, "other" renewable fuel units that are generated by selling electricity to charge electric vehicles or the use of renewable fuels such as green hydrogen. The Dutch government introduced a 10pc cap on the use of HBE-IXBs in 2022, while there is no cap on the use of HBE-Os.

The NEa issued around 1.46mn conventional HBE-Cs in the April-December period. The use of HBE-Cs is capped at 1.4pc.

For the 2023 compliance year, the targeted share of renewable energy in the transport sector has been lifted to 18.9pc, while the minimum share of advanced energy is higher by 0.6 percentage points on the year to 2.4pc.

By Sophie Barthel

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05/06/26

Australian bioLPG set to meet half of demand by 2050

Australian bioLPG set to meet half of demand by 2050

Sydney, 5 June (Argus) — Australia's growing bioenergy sector could supply more than half of national LPG demand by 2050 in a best-case bioLPG scenario, energy advisory firm Blunomy said at the Gas Energy Australia forum in Sydney this week. But output is likely to remain constrained by limited production pathways and ongoing policy uncertainty. BioLPG is produced as a co-product of several fuel pathways, including alcohol-to-jet (ATJ), hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA), and Fischer–Tropsch (FT) processes used to manufacture sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel (RD). Several SAF and RD projects are under development in Australia — some expected to start before 2030 — and early modelling from Blunomy outlines the potential scale of bioLPG output across these pathways. In a best case scenario assuming full capture of bioLPG, production would reach about 24,000 t/yr by 2030, rising to around 257,000 t/yr by 2040 and roughly 300,000 t/yr by 2050, meeting about 52pc of projected LPG demand, a Blunomy representative said. Closing the remaining 48pc gap would require dedicated renewable liquid gas (rLG) pathways, including power-to-liquids technologies designed specifically for LPG output. Expanding Australia's bioenergy mix to include co-processing, biogas-to-LPG, residue-to-dimethyl ether (DME) pathways will also be critical, the firm said. Cost remains another key constraint. A 400,000 t/yr HEFA plant could produce around 20,000 t/yr of biopropane, 5pc of capacity, but refining and handling the gas requires complex and capital intensive distillation, refrigeration and logistics, a representative from Australian bioenergy producer Jet Zero said. As a result, commercial viability will depend on securing offtake agreements and stronger support from both government and industry to scale production and reduce costs, the firm said. Limited policy support for primary fuels — SAF and RD — has left comparatively little focus on bioLPG as a co-product. But some progress has been made this week. Australia's government-backed GreenPower scheme will launch a low carbon liquid fuels (LCLF) certification programme in 2028 , covering SAF, RD, biodiesel and bioLPG. The scheme, first announced in August last year, held stakeholder consultation earlier in 2026 and will develop certification frameworks in 2027. It will be based on a book and claim model with tradeable certificates, while demand-side support and mandates remain under consideration. By Grace Dudley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Panama Canal sees El Nino slowing transits next year

04/06/26
News
04/06/26

Panama Canal sees El Nino slowing transits next year

New York, 4 June (Argus) — The Panama Canal Authority (ACP) does not anticipate the expected 2026 El Nino weather phenomenon to materially impact vessel transits at the Panama Canal through the end of the year, but it could create the need for water-saving measures in 2027, according to an update it shared in late May. The same weather pattern was responsible for the 2023/2024 drought that encouraged the ACP to enact draft restrictions from early 2023 that severely reduced transits via the freshwater canal. This ultimately shifted the Panama Canal from its traditional first-come, first-serve basis to its current pre-booked transit slot/supplemental auctions model. But the timeline in 2026 is dissimilar to 2023, a year in which the ACP had already enacted its first draft restrictions by 1 March 2023. These were focused on the largest and newest of the transit locks that lift vessels from the lower sea level into the higher freshwater canal, the Neopanamax locks. Draft restrictions mean vessels need to carry less cargo to sit higher in the water, allowing the ACP to further retain freshwater within the waterway overall. The draft restrictions for these larger vessels steadily increased that year as freshwater levels there steadily declined. But focusing on restricting larger vessels ultimately allowed the ACP to avoid restricting draft for the smaller vessels via the Panamax locks that make up 70pc of all transits via the Panama Canal. That retention of freshwater is important during droughts, because the man-made Panama Canal itself is responsible for providing over 50pc of the country's population with potable water, according to the ACP. The ACP reevaluated its operational capacity at the start of the rainy season, which typically begins in May, lasts through June and replenishes steadily declining water levels during the dry season. "Current data does not forecast the need for transit restrictions through 31 December 2026", the ACP said. "History indicates that the most pronounced impacts of moderate or strong El Nino events tend to be reflected more clearly in the subsequent year. Accordingly, operational projects for 2027 are already being developed." The ACP highlighted four water-saving measures that had contributed to higher average water levels in the man-made lakes, Gatun and Alhajuela, that feed the freshwater canal enacted in December 2025 alongside a dry season that was "the wettest on record since 1950". These included doubling up on small ships into a single lane when raising them from sea level, use of water-saving basins via the larger Neopanamax locks to effectively recycle some water from exits that would otherwise drain out to the sea, utilizing "interior gates" within the lanes of the locks for vessels smaller than the total size of those lanes to raise efficiency of water usage and the temporary suspension of hydroelectric power generation at Gatun lake, according to the ACP. El Nino? Or 'El Hombre' The severity of weather phenomena like El Nino are famously difficult to predict with accuracy, and the 2026 El Nino weather event, if it does occur, could be on par with the 2023 event or even stronger, according to World Meteorological Association (WMO) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data. The WMO estimates an 80pc chance of El Nino developing between June-August 2026, with "near or above" a 90pc chance of persisting until at least November. "Although some uncertainty remains about El Nino peak strength and timing, most forecast models suggest it will be at least moderate — and possibly strong," the WMO said. Meanwhile, the NOAA projected in May 2026 that between November, December and January the El Nino had a 37pc chance of hitting "very strong", the highest strength level assessed for the weather pattern. This marked the plurality of all options, with the next highest being "strong" at 30pc probability. The WMO had previously described the 2023-2024 El Nino as peaking at "one of the five strongest on record". A return to this level of severity could upend plans by the ACP of avoiding draft restrictions at the Panama Canal through the remainder of 2026, which would have knock-on effects on shifted global trade patterns. Asian buyers have increasingly relied on Atlantic basin supply, and Panama Canal transits, for energy commodities in the wake of the closure of the strait of Hormuz by Iran. Disrupted Panama Canal transits will create strong upward pressure on freight rates across segments, especially if Mideast Gulf flows remain largely cut-off from the global market when drought again grips Central America. By Ross Griffith Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Maruti Suzuki launches India’s first flex-fuel car

04/06/26
News
04/06/26

Maruti Suzuki launches India’s first flex-fuel car

Mumbai, 4 June (Argus) — Indian automaker Maruti Suzuki launched its first flex-fuel vehicle (FFV) in Delhi today, to support the country's aims to expand its ethanol blending programme beyond 20pc (E20). The newly launched flex-fuel Wagon R ZXi MT can run on gasoline as well as a variety of ethanol blends of up to 80pc ethanol. India currently mandates 20pc ethanol blending and has recently unveiled plans to raise blending levels, proposing the introduction of E85 and E100 sales. The Bureau of Indian Standards in May introduced specifications for higher ethanol blends, covering E22, E25, E27 and E30 fuels. The move follows repeated calls from India's ethanol lobby to promote FFVs, which are required to run higher ethanol blend ratios above 20pc. Most cars in India manufactured from 2023 onwards can run on E20, but there is currently no blanket approval from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for blends beyond E20. The launch is a historic milestone, India's minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari said. More models will be launched, he added, suggesting introducing E100 ethanol pumps. Further rollouts of such vehicles will depend on customer demand and the success of the current model, a company executive said. By Nikhil Sharma Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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BHP trials Australian tallow biodiesel for biobunkering

04/06/26
News
04/06/26

BHP trials Australian tallow biodiesel for biobunkering

Sydney, 4 June (Argus) — Australian tallow-based biodiesel was blended in Singapore for the first time and used onboard a bulk carrier, as part of Australian mining group BHP's pilot program aimed at reducing maritime emissions. Mining giant BHP trialled the fuel in May, using a 100pc biodiesel blend comprising 50pc Australian-origin tallow methyl ester (TME) and 50pc used cooking oil methyl ester (Ucome), the firm said on 3 June. The blend is expected to deliver around a 79pc reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per voyage compared with conventional very low-sulphur fuel oil. The biodiesel was used onboard the Berge Lyngor , an iron ore carrier that departed Port Hedland, Western Australia, for China on 17 May and partially discharged its cargo on 31 May, according to Kpler data. Around 500t of TME was sourced from producer Just Biodiesel's 60mn litre/yr plant on the New South Wales–Victoria border and exported to Singapore's bunkering hub in approximately 25 isotanks by biofuel supplier HAMR Energy, Just Biodiesel told Argus today. Japanese trading firm Mitsui's Singapore energy trading arm supplied the Ucome component and carried out blending. The project was co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund. By Grace Dudley Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Air France-KLM flags secure summer jet fuel supply

03/06/26
News
03/06/26

Air France-KLM flags secure summer jet fuel supply

London, 3 June (Argus) — Air France-KLM said jet fuel supply is secure for the peak summer travel season, becoming the latest European airline to signal stable availability after earlier concerns over disruptions linked to the closure of the strait of Hormuz. "All indicators are positive for the July and August peak travel season" in terms of availability at its French and Dutch airport hubs, chief executive Benjamin Smith said. The company is "continuously monitoring" fuel supply at destination airports but has committed to maintaining its summer flight schedule. Other European airlines have delivered similar messages in recent weeks. Last week, Germany's Lufthansa said there were "no signs" of supply risks at its six European hubs — Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Brussels and Rome. Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary has said supply appears secure until September, while Jet2 said it does not expect disruption to its summer schedule. The improved sentiment reflects a more balanced supply picture. Higher regional refinery output, stockdraws and imports from the US and Nigeria have helped offset the loss of Middle Eastern supply following the effective closure of the strait of Hormuz, easing earlier fears of jet fuel shortages in Europe. European jet fuel prices have fallen in response, staying below $1,200/t for almost two weeks — the lowest level since the start of the US-Iran conflict, although still around 50pc higher than pre-war levels. Supply remains tight, however. Unplanned refinery outages could quickly disrupt supply to individual airports, while the ongoing lack of flows through the strait of Hormuz means the global jet fuel market remains undersupplied. Europe must continue to compete with other regions for imports, and market participants expect prices to remain elevated for several months. By Amaar Khan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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