Blog

"Well before we started thinking about our New Year’s resolutions, the European Commission published on 16 December its work programme for 2015. We can only applaud the targeted nature of measures envisaged and this new Commission’s desire for better regulation. However this ‘to do list’ seems to be overlooking some crucial aspects, that we hope the Commission will address in the course of 2015.

On 4 December 2014, the Environment Committee in the European Parliament held a public hearing on air quality and on national emissions beyond 2020. Emissions from road traffic were naturally discussed and the debate focused, as expected, on testing methods.

The advanced biofuels industry may get some answers tomorrow during a House Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care, and Entitlements hearing on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent decision to not finalize 2014 volume targets under the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS).

After more than a year of deliberation, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced it will not finalize 2014 volume standards under the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program before the end of the year. The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) issued the following statement in response.

A Ecofys study published yesterday – on behalf of the European Oilseed Alliance (EOA), the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) and the European Vegetable Oil and Protein meal Industry (FEDIOL) – gives new life to biofuels and certainly brings new elements to the debate on ILUC, currently at a standstill. It argues that the European Commission based its conclusions – hence its legislative proposal to amend the RED and FQD – on wrong assumptions and underestimated the benefits of biofuels by as much as 50%.

On 24 October European leaders reached an agreement on the framework which will set the energy and climate scene for the next 15 years. The conclusions call on the Commission to examine instruments for “renewable energy sources in transport” post 2020 in a comprehensive and technologically neutral way, which could possibly involve an extension of the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) after 2020.

"After two intense weeks of confirmation hearings in the Parliament, the Junker Commission has been confirmed by the Parliament. It was described by Mr Juncker himself as the “last-chance Commission”. When it comes to climate and energy policy however, Mr Juncker’s team failed to go down that ambitious route by omitting an important contributor to future emission reductions in transport: biofuels.

The ENVI committee will soon reopen discussions on the ILUC proposal in second reading, under the leadership of the new rapporteur, Nils Torvalds. However, the Council will not transmit its position before November. Once more: delay, delay, delay!

After a short break occasioned by the European elections in May, it will soon be time for new and returning Members of the European Parliament to embark on second reading discussions on ILUC. Member States adopted their common position on 13 June and, as soon the text is presented to MEPs in Plenary, the second reading phase will start. In this important new step of the process, UNICA would like to send a few words to the members of the recently formed Environment Committee, who will have a special role to play on the dossier in the second half of the year.

Sometimes, we all need friendly reminders. Our favorite World Cup soccer players get reminded on the field to play by the rules, and we often get reminded about our commitments. Commitments to our family, commitments to our friends, and commitments to our international trading partners.

Today, European Energy Ministers finally adopted the Council’s position on ILUC. I have expressed already my disappointment for the lack of ambition showed by Member States. This deal doesn’t lead to a better framework for investments in the biofuels sector, especially in advanced biofuels, and the future discussions with the European Parliament do not let envisage any positive developments.

"The debate over American biofuels policy has centered on the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS), but there’s another issue unfolding under the radar with significant implications for renewable fuels – the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) volatility waiver.

RVP may be a technical issue, but inconsistent application of the volatility waiver by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is limiting widespread introduction of E15 ethanol-blended gasoline, threatening compliance with the RFS, and creating an arbitrary barrier to ethanol use in America.

After the stalemate at the December Council where a blocking minority of Member States prevented the adoption of a Council common position on ILUC, Member States’ Permanent Representatives finally agreed today on a compromise text proposed by the Greek Presidency after two Ad Hoc Working Party meetings took place in April and May. The Council position will still need to be officially endorsed by EU Energy Ministers on 13 June.

Having looked at the recently published manifestos of the European political groups, I realized surprisingly that the main groups, EPP and PES, do not even mention transport issues in their priorities for the next five years.
Isn’t it odd?

It’s good to see that a highly regarded institution, like the United Nations, has just released a new report that has the courage ‎to simply follow the empirical evidence about the benefits of responsibly produced biofuels.