Does the EU Need to Examine the Sustainability of Biofuels?

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A biogas station where distillation of renewable sources occurs
Ireland's Transport Minister Eamon Ryan urges the EU to scrutinise imported biofuels due to concerns about fraudulent and unsustainable palm oil use

Minister for Transport in Ireland Eamon Ryan warns the European Commission to examine biofuels imported from outside of the European Union (EU).

He is due to make the call at the EU’s Energy Council due to the growing concerns of falsely advertised biofuels.

Biofuel suppliers from China are being accused of fraudulently shipping virgin palm oil into the EU, breaching regulations. Virgin palm oil is not considered sustainable by standard.

Eamon Ryan has been the Green Party leader of Ireland for 13 years

“EU member states and fuel suppliers rely upon the assurance of the European oversight regime for quality sustainable biofuels,” Eamon explains. “Such concerns can only be appropriately assessed and addressed at EU level.”

What are biofuels?

Biofuels are renewable energy sources made from organic materials, also known as biomass. They are produced through biological processes, unlike fossil fuels, which are derived from organisms that died millions of years ago.

Biofuels are used primarily for transportation, heating and electricity generation. There are multiple forms, all of which come with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of biofuels:

  • Renewable: Derived from continuously replenishable sources
  • Lower emissions: Biofuels generally produce fewer greenhouse gases than fossil fuels
  • Energy security: Reduce dependence on oil imports and provide alternative energy sources

Disadvantages of biofuels:

  • Food vs. fuel debate: Concerns about using arable land for fuel instead of food production
  • Environmental impact: Issues with deforestation and biodiversity loss
  • Energy balance: Some biofuels may require more energy to produce than they provide, reducing environmental benefits
  • Infrastructure: May require modifications to existing fuel distribution systems and engines.
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Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)

HVO has been presented as a green alternative to globally used fossil fuels.

It is known that fossil fuels like diesel and kerosene, derived from petroleum, are not sustainable. By using biofuel, emissions could be reduced by 90%.

HVO can be used in place of diesel. Several fuel station companies, including bp, have started rolling out HVO pumps.

Can biofuels replace fossil fuels?

The end product of HVO comes after multiple steps, these being:

  • Feedstock selection: Using vegetable oils or used/waste cooking oils
  • Pretreatment: Cleaning the oils to remove impurities such as water, metals and solids
  • Hydrotreatment: Hydrogen reacts with the fats in oils under high temperature and pressure, removing oxygen and converting them into hydrocarbons similar to diesel
  • Further processing: Isomerisation, rearranging particles to withstand the cold, and hydrocracking, the breaking down of larger molecules, can enhance fuel quality
  • Refining: Separating by-products to produce the final fuel.

There are emerging concerns that there are not enough primary materials for the vastly growing demand for biofuels, leading to the increase in use of unsustainable ingredients like palm oil being used.

Palm oil

Palm oil is a high-yielding crop, producing three times more yield than second most used rapeseed.

Although high yielding, only about 50% of palm olein, a part of palm oil, actually ends up being used in biodiesel and only 40% of batch production gets converted into biofuels.

Palm oil is used due to it producing less sulphur emissions compared to diesel and petrol as well as being cheaper than other vegetable oils.

Palm oil does not provide the adequate biodiversity for species to survive in

It may seem that palm oil is a good alternative but it's not that black and white.

Studies have suggested that palm oil biodiesel produces three times as much carbon than fossil fuels.

Palm oil causes high rates of deforestation in Southeast Asia and South America, causing a negative impact on animals, biodiversity and ecosystems.

Imports of biofuel-designated palm oil from Southeast Asia to Europe grew nearly 400% between 2008 and 2018 however, the EU has implemented measures to phase out palm oil use in biofuels by 2030 due to the huge sustainability concerns.

bp

bp, a global energy company, is investing in biofuels in hopes to transition to cleaner, sustainable energy sources.

HVO is being used for bioenergy by bp, proving to be:

  • Produced from renewable, waste-derived feedstocks
  • Reducing CO₂ emissions by 85% compared to fossil diesel
  • Versatile as can be used as a diesel replacement in many existing vehicles

The company has committed to investing US$10m to WasteFuel, a company that converts biobase waste into carbon fuels and considers bioenergy to be one out of five of its growth engines for the future.

BP are dedicated to producing biofuels not only for on road vehicles but also aviation.

bp has emphasised the importance of considering the aspect of sustainability when producing biofuels in the future, not only reducing its own carbon footprint but also their customers.

Fake biofuels

Eamon raises concern of fake biofuels for this reason: "The volume that has increased recently it doesn’t seem that feasible that it could come from those waste oil sources that are being claimed, so that’s the key incentive to an investigation." 

Dr Hannah Daly, Professor of Sustainable Energy at University College Cork explains: "It’s seen as a drop in replacement without requiring big investments or major changes.

“In reality there are warning signs that instead of being produced from waste, much of HVO is actually produced using unsustainable materials, for example, like pure palm oil, which could be in inadvertently contributing to tropical deforestation."

Hannah has taught about sustainable energy for over five years.

Eamon's call for the European Commission to investigate biofuels imported from outside the EU underscores the urgent need for sustainability and transparency in the biofuels sector. 

As concerns grow over the fraudulent import of unsustainable materials like virgin palm oil, which contributes to deforestation and biodiversity loss, it is crucial that biofuel supply chains are rigorously monitored. 

Although biofuels like HVO have the potential to significantly reduce emissions and promote renewable energy use, their sustainability is only ensured if they are sourced from truly renewable and ethical feedstocks.

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