EU eyes 26pc renewable transport by 2030
The European Commission has delayed until mid-July its presentation of a legislative proposal to boost renewables. A draft document indicates a 26pc target share for renewables in transport by 2030.
A 312-page draft staff working document drawn up by the commission substantiates a forthcoming proposal to revise the EU's renewables directive as part of a wider package of measures to reach a 2030 target to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) by 55pc. The document confirms a target share for renewables in overall energy consumption of at least 38-40pc in 2030, hinted at last year when the 55pc GHG cut was proposed.
Options include boosting, from 14pc to 26pc, the target share of renewables in the transport sector by 2030, with the sub-target for advanced biofuels increasing from 3.5pc to 5.5pc, albeit taking into account the amount of advanced biofuels estimated for use in the aviation and maritime sectors.
Achieving the transport targets would require EU member states to set out obligations on fuel suppliers with various sub-options, including a requirement to obtain minimum shares for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs). Fuel suppliers could also face an obligation to reduce the emission intensity of fuels sold, with no sub-targets for advanced biofuels and RFNBOs.
The draft leaves a cloud over the future of the fuel quality directive (FQD) which, in addition to fuel quality standards, sets a target to reduce GHG emissions of transport fuels by 6pc but has an "outdated" set of sustainability criteria and administrative burden, according to the draft. One of the options considered to increase the share of renewables in transport to 26pc — with new fuel blends and a dedicated supply obligation for renewable aviation fuels — explicitly removes the FQD's 6pc emissions reduction target.
Also relevant is revision of existing fuel technical standards to facilitate introduction of B10 diesel, albeit with the introduction of an EU-wide B7 diesel protection grade for the significant share of vehicles not compatible with B10 by 2030, estimated at some 28pc.
The commission is expected to outline a raft of measures on 14 July aimed at achieving the 55pc GHG emissions reduction target by 2030. They include revisions to legislation covering sectors under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and other sectors — including transport, buildings, agriculture, non-ETS industry and waste — that account for almost 60pc of total domestic EU emissions.
The commission will also make proposals for a carbon border adjustment mechanism and a revision to the renewable energy efficiency directives. A revision of the energy taxation directive will give favourable tax treatment to "sustainable biofuels, bio-liquids and biomass as well as for to renewable hydrogen and less favourable treatment to fossil fuels". The latter would require EU member states to unanimously agree. The commission has previously withdrawn a proposal to revise energy taxation due to opposition from a few member states.
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La deuda de Pemex sobresale en el panorama electoral
La deuda de Pemex sobresale en el panorama electoral
Mexico City, 15 April (Argus) — La campaña presidencial de México termina en menos de dos meses, pero aunque ambas candidatas proponen una revolución verde en el sector de la energía, ninguna de ellas ha propuesto un plan viable para evitar la implosión financiera de la empresa estatal Pemex. Claudia Sheinbaum, candidata de continuidad para la política energética nacionalista del Presidente Andrés Manuel López Obrador, anunció el mes pasado su estrategia energética, comprometiéndose a aumentar la producción de petróleo y gas de Pemex, aumentar el rendimiento de las refinerías y la producción petroquímica, desarrollar una industria nacional de litio y buscar un nuevo enfoque en la generación de energía renovable. La antigua jefa de gobierno de la Ciudad de México no ha proporcionado detalles sobre ninguna de estas políticas, pero es difícil conciliar su compromiso con una ampliación de las energías renovables con un límite en la inversión del sector privado sin depender en gran medida del aumento de la financiación de la estatal de electricidad CFE. La política de Sheinbaum en materia de energías renovables es la única desviación de la agenda energética de López Obrador, aunque las agencias de calificación, los inversores y los analistas coinciden en que es probable que Pemex incurra en impago sin una amplia reforma estructural. Pemex tenía una deuda total de $106,100 millones a finales de 2023 y se enfrenta a $10,000 millones en vencimientos de deuda este año. El impulso del gobierno para aumentar el rendimiento de las refinerías ha generado pérdidas de miles de millones de dólares para Pemex. Solo en 2023, la división de refinación de Pemex reportó una pérdida de $4,400 millones, una mejora con respecto a una pérdida de $11,000 millones el año anterior. De 2019 a 2023, la división de refinación de la empresa registró más de $46,000 millones en pérdidas. López Obrador puso el rescate de Pemex y sus refinerías en el centro de su administración. Pero a pesar de no detener la espiral de deuda de la empresa, la disminución de la producción de crudo, el empeoramiento del récord de seguridad y el aumento de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero, sus políticas han tenido un coste que Sheinbaum no ha querido refutar públicamente. En su lugar, se compromete a lanzar el proyecto de la refinería Olmeca de 340,000 b/d de la empresa, que ya tiene dos años de retraso y ha costado al menos el doble del presupuesto original de $8,000 millones, dinero que las agencias de calificación afirman que debería haberse dirigido al negocio principal de Pemex en la exploración y producción. El apoyo gubernamental a Pemex, por un total de más de $52,000 millones entre 2019 y 2023, ha sido incapaz de mover la aguja en sus métricas financieras u operativas, y ahora amenaza la calificación crediticia soberana de México. Sheinbaum ha evitado abordar públicamente la carga de la enorme deuda de Pemex, proponiendo únicamente "niveles de deuda aceptables en el sector de la energía". Pero dada la importancia de Pemex para el proyecto político del partido Morena, además los cientos de miles de puestos de trabajo que dependen de Pemex, no se puede permitir que la empresa incumpla. Por otro lado, la candidata de oposición Xóchitl Gálvez pide poner fin al "caos financiero" en Pemex, diversificar su negocio hacia iniciativas de bajas emisiones de carbono, políticas rigurosas de emisiones, el cierre de sus refinerías más contaminantes, un nuevo enfoque en renovables y una reapertura de la industria energética a la inversión del sector privado. Sin embargo, a pesar de su perspectiva más favorable para la inversión privada, Gálvez aún no ha ofrecido una solución detallada para la situación financiera de Pemex. Sus planes para Pemex pueden ser demasiado radicales para los votantes, especialmente dentro del importante sindicato de trabajadores del petróleo, que repudió rápidamente sus llamados el mes pasado para cerrar dos refinerías. Incluso si ganara, la oposición que representa podría tener dificultades para acordar un camino a seguir para Pemex. Si la próxima administración vuelve a abrir la puerta a la inversión del sector privado, el nuevo gobierno se enfrentará a un esfuerzo lento para reconstruir los reguladores de la energía que han sufrido de baja inversión en los últimos seis años. Pero será el tamaño de la posible victoria de Sheinbaum lo que determinará el futuro del sector de la energía mexicano. Una mayoría convincente podría permitirle aprobar las grandes reformas energéticas que eludieron a López Obrador y seguir limitando la participación del sector privado en el sector energético, justo cuando la inversión directa extranjera en México está en auge en otras industrias. Por Rebecca Conan Producción de crudo en México Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Singapore, Rotterdam advance 'green' shipping corridor
Singapore, Rotterdam advance 'green' shipping corridor
Singapore, 15 April (Argus) — The Singapore-Rotterdam Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) is accelerating its decarbonisation efforts with new partners, and is advancing initiatives to encourage the uptake of sustainable marine fuels. The world's two largest marine fuel hubs established the Singapore-Rotterdam GDSC in August 2022, in a push for maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation between the ports. There are 26 global value-chain partners in the GDSC initiative including fuel suppliers, shipping lines, knowledge partners and financial entities. German container shipping line Hapag-Lloyd is the latest partner in the Singapore-Rotterdam trade lane, committing to operate large container vessels on zero and near-zero carbon emission fuels. Hapag-Lloyd is the world's fifth-largest liner shipping firm with at least 260 ocean-going vessels, according to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). GDSC working groups will also pilot the uptake of sustainable marine fuels — like bio-methane, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen — and test out commercial structures to reduce cost barriers in switching to alternative fuels. This includes a bio-methane working group that is studying regulations and standards to support adopting the fuel for marine bunkering on a commercial scale. GDSC partners also plan to carry out bio-LNG bunkering pilots over 2024-25, based on a mass balancing chain of custody principle. A methanol working group is working on fuel standards and knowledge exchange, in addition to addressing common challenges to carry out commercial methanol bunkering at Singapore and Rotterdam. And an ammonia working group is developing a framework to assess the lifecycle greenhouse gas intensity of green ammonia for bunkering, to be completed by 2025. Improvements to digitalisation have also been made as part of the GDSC initiative, with Singapore and Rotterdam successfully piloting an exchange of port-to-port data. Both ports will be able to exchange vessel arrival and departure times for port planning, and ships travelling between Singapore and Rotterdam can also optimise their port call voyage. The maritime sector is pushing towards a more resilient and efficient energy transition, and participants have pointed out that collaboration between countries and stakeholders would be key to green shipping corridors . The GDSC is a "very valuable collaboration in accelerating the twin transition: the integration of digital innovation in energy transition efforts," said chief executive officer of Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR), Boudewijn Siemons. "Not only are we seeing the first results in standardization and data sharing for Port Call Optimization but also the first steps in moving towards operationalization of zero and low carbon fuels on this trade lane." Progress on the GDSC development also reflects that "public-private collaboration across global value chains can be achieved," said MPA chief executive Teo Eng Dih. By Cassia Teo Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Singapore consortium to form emissions registry
Singapore consortium to form emissions registry
Singapore, 15 April (Argus) — A consortium of firms led by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) will set up a registry to help local businesses establish more accurate emission inventories, the SBF announced today. The SBP is partnering the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, consultancy PwC and telecommunications group Singtel to set up the Singapore Emission Factors Registry (SEFR). The first phase of the registry is targeted to be ready by the end of this year. The SEFR will consist of an emission factors (EFs) database that is reflective of local conditions, according to the SBF. The EFs will allow for the conversion of business activities into greenhouse gas emissions. More details on how this conversion will be carried out were not provided, although the SEFR "supports existing reporting tools and solutions in the ecosystem that help enterprises automate their sustainability reporting process," said the SBF. Singapore businesses are currently using EFs from international sources such as the US Environmental Protection Agency and UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in their carbon emissions reporting, especially for scope 3 emissions. The "localised" EFs will be developed in phases, and the initial base load for the first phase will be made up of data from various government agencies, in relation to transportation, water, general waste and energy. EFs for additional categories will be developed and released based on demand and after industry consultations. Three-quarters of local businesses have already implemented or plan to implement environmental, social and governance (EGS) practices into their operations, according to a survey by the SBF. But 60pc of businesses stated they require support in areas of funding, greater clarity on EGS reporting metrics and access to ESG tracking and measurement technology. "With the development of localised EFs, local businesses will be able to report their emissions more accurately," said SBF chief executive Kok Ping Soon. "The SEFR is part of a broader suite of programmes that SBF will progressively be rolling out to support businesses in their net zero transition," he added. This is the latest in a series of moves Singapore has taken to create a carbon market as part of its decarbonisation efforts. The country in June last year launched a spot trading platform for carbon credits . It subsequently in December published a list of eligible international carbon credits under the International Carbon Credit framework, which companies can use to offset up to 5pc of their carbon tax liability , in lieu of paying the carbon tax. Singapore's carbon tax has been set at S$25/t ($18/t) for 2024-25 and will subsequently be raised to S$45/t in 2026-27. The tax will be reviewed with a long-term view of increasing it to S$50-80/t by 2030. By Prethika Nair Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
G7 leaders to meet over Iran's attack on Israel
G7 leaders to meet over Iran's attack on Israel
Dubai, 14 April (Argus) — Leaders of the G7 will meet today, 14 April, to co-ordinate a diplomatic response to Iran's overnight air attack on Israel, which ushered a new phase in a six-month conflict that is threatening regional escalation. G7 presidency Italy "has organized a conference at leaders' level for the afternoon of today," Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni said on X, formerly Twitter. US President Joe Biden has pledged a co-ordinated G7 diplomatic response and condemned the Iranian assault. Iran fired hundreds of drones and missiles against Israel on the evening of 13 April, according to the country's state-owned news agency Irna. Almost all were intercepted before they reached Israeli airspace and there were no fatalities reported by Israel. One civilian was injured and an air force base in southern Israel was lightly damaged, according to the Israel Defence Forces (IDF). The Iranian attack came in response to a suspected Israeli air strike on the vicinity of Iran's embassy compound in Damascus, Syria, on 1 April. Tehran's foreign minster Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran considers this to be the end of its operation. But energy markets, which have been supported in recent weeks by a geopolitical risk premium, will face a week of uncertainty about whether Israel will retaliate. The front-month June Ice Brent contract was trading at $90.45/bl before markets closed for the weekend, and hit a more-than five month high of $92.18/bl on Friday, 12 April. Israeli officials said the attack was "a severe and dangerous escalation" from Tehran. Israel's war cabinet is meeting today to discuss a response. "We will build a regional coalition and exact the price from Iran in the fashion and timing that is right for us," said cabinet minister Benny Gantz. The US is urging Israel to claim victory for its defence, in an apparent effort to discourage Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government from feeling compelled to retaliate. While noting that Israel ultimately will make the decision as to how to respond, White House national security communications co-ordinator John Kirby, in a televised interview today, hailed what he called Israel's "incredible military achievement" in defending itself against the attack. Very little managed to penetrate the defensive shield, "and the damage was extraordinarily light," he said. The US military played a role in helping to defend against the attack, bringing down "several dozens of drones and missiles," Kirby said. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak said the Royal Air Force shot down "a number of Iranian attack drones". Israel's western allies are urging it to show restraint as they try to prevent a wider conflict in the Middle East, which could directly affect oil producers and send energy prices soaring. President Biden is especially keen to avoid such a scenario in an election year. By Bachar Halabi and David Ivanovich Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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