In a rare show of unity, environmental organisations and oil companies have both warned that the EU’s targets for green jet fuels are in danger of being missed as investment into the production of synthetic fuels is so far not materialising.
As part of its flagship climate package “Fit for 55”, the EU last year adopted “ReFuelEU aviation”, a law that aims to reduce the climate impact of flights.
The new regulation sets quotas for the use of so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an increasing share of which will be blended into the kerosene used at EU airports.
The law will take effect in 2025, when 2% of the fuel mix must be from sustainable sources, growing to 20% in 2035 and reaching 70% in 2050.
Among the green fuels used are fuels based on used cooking oil, such as frying fat collected after use and processed. The resulting liquid is considered an “advanced” biofuel, which is eligible for meeting the EU’s SAF targets.
As the availability of such waste materials is limited, targets also include mandates for so-called e-fuels – synthetic fuels produced from hydrogen, which in the long-term are expected to be available at a larger scale.
However, investments into the production of e-fuels are not yet materialising, environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) warned in a report published on Wednesday (24 January).
While there are plans for 25 industry-scale production sites for e-kerosene within the EU, Iceland and Norway, “none of the major projects have reached final investment decision yet,” according to the NGO.
“The road is still long before we actually see e-kerosene in our planes,” Camille Mutrelle, T&E’s expert on green jet fuels, said.
“We need to move from paper to reality and ensure that the e-kerosene projects truly materialise, or else the law will be nothing but empty words,” she added.
As part of its flagship climate package “Fit for 55”, the EU last year adopted “ReFuelEU aviation”, a law that aims to reduce the climate impact of flights.
The new regulation sets quotas for the use of so-called sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), an increasing share of which will be blended into the kerosene used at EU airports.
The law will take effect in 2025, when 2% of the fuel mix must be from sustainable sources, growing to 20% in 2035 and reaching 70% in 2050.
Among the green fuels used are fuels based on used cooking oil, such as frying fat collected after use and processed. The resulting liquid is considered an “advanced” biofuel, which is eligible for meeting the EU’s SAF targets.
As the availability of such waste materials is limited, targets also include mandates for so-called e-fuels – synthetic fuels produced from hydrogen, which in the long-term are expected to be available at a larger scale.
However, investments into the production of e-fuels are not yet materialising, environmental NGO Transport & Environment (T&E) warned in a report published on Wednesday (24 January).
While there are plans for 25 industry-scale production sites for e-kerosene within the EU, Iceland and Norway, “none of the major projects have reached final investment decision yet,” according to the NGO.
“The road is still long before we actually see e-kerosene in our planes,” Camille Mutrelle, T&E’s expert on green jet fuels, said.
“We need to move from paper to reality and ensure that the e-kerosene projects truly materialise, or else the law will be nothing but empty words,” she added.
