Food, feed, and fuel for Europe: The future of renewable ethanol

EU lawmakers wisely rejected attempts to reduce the role of sustainable biofuels in the ght against climate change. Now it’s time to unleash their potential.

Is the EU’s ‘Fit for 55’ package nally getting t for purpose? After more than a year of impassioned debate, lawmakers generally agree that reducing emissions from transport requires a major role for sustainable biofuels.

That’s important, because biofuels such as renewable ethanol – produced from European crops, wastes and residues – are the most immediate, affordable, sustainable and socially inclusive solution the EU has to reduce emissions from the petrol and hybrid cars that will predominate on Europe’s roads for a long time.

Renewable ethanol has a proven track record in the ght against climate change – with 77 per cent average emissions savings compared to fossil petrol – and keeps improving its GHGreduction performance as European biore neries keep innovating. It requires no expensive new infrastructure. It makes an impact on emissions now and will help Member States meet increasingly ambitious targets for defossilisation of transport.

Production of renewable ethanol in Europe has other important bene ts, notably in contributing to EU food security. Contrary to the misleading and discredited arguments about ‘food vs fuel’ that were heard during the Fit for 55 debates on biofuels, EU ethanol production contributes to food security.

In fact, in 2021 European renewable ethanol biore neries produced more high-protein animal feed than fuel – helping ensure an important domestic supply. This was achieved with no deforestation or land grabs: ePURE members’ ethanol production in 2021 required less than 1.8 million hectares (Mha) of European arable land, equivalent to only 1.7 per cent of the total arable land of EU27 and the UK.

Also, renewable ethanol production creates captured biogenic CO2, which displaces fossil CO2 in greenhouse applications and in production of carbonated drinks.

All of this was taken into account when the European Parliament wisely rejected amendments that would have placed further restrictions on European crop-based biofuels, which are already capped at a maximum of 7 per cent of Member States’ road and rail energy and subject to strict sustainability criteria. Such restrictions would have made it harder for Member States to reach their decarbonisation objectives and increased EU dependence on imported fossil fuel.

The outlook is more uncertain when it comes to CO2 standards for cars. Here legislators are thinking more narrowly – favouring battery electric vehicles but leaving open the possibility for ‘CO2 neutral’ liquid fuels to play a role. Europe needs a range of solutions to decarbonize transport — including renewable ethanol — not just one technology that isn’t yet fully attainable for all segments of society. A more realistic EU approach would make it clear to citizens that there are no ‘zero emission’ cars. Measured on a full lifecycle, there are always emissions and always costs.

As part of its review of what constitutes ‘CO2 neutral fuels,’ the European Commission should consider the continuously improving GHGreduction performance of EU renewable ethanol, and studies that show hybrid vehicles running on high-ethanol blends are just as climate-friendly as electric vehicles.

A socially inclusive transition to carbon neutrality should empower all citizens, not just those who can afford new technologies, and all countries, not just those that can afford new infrastructure.

As they put the nishing touches to the Fit for 55 picture, EU policymakers must preserve a continued role for sustainable biofuels – which have shown they can deliver results today and adapt to future needs. The only alternative is an unacceptable one: opening the door to more imported fossil fuel.

David Carpintero is Director General of ePURE, the European renewable ethanol association. @DCLASN european renewable ethanol

“Biofuels such as renewable ethanol are the most immediate, affordable, sustainable and socially inclusive solution the EU has to reduce emissions from petrol and hybrid cars that will continue to predominate on Europe’s roads”