The European Parliament's energy committee today supported (13/7) the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive, which brings, among other measures, the forecast to increase the share of advanced biofuels and biomethane in the transport sector to at least 0.5% by 2025 and 2.2% by 2030.

It also provides for an intermediate target of increasing the share of renewable fuels of non-organic origin, such as hydrogen, to at least 2.6%, and introduces a credit mechanism to encourage the supply of renewable electricity in public charging stations for electric vehicles.

In air transport, the proposal is that by 2050, 85% of all aviation fuel at EU airports will be sustainable — made from used cooking oil, synthetic fuel or even hydrogen.

The goal is to achieve a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transport sector.

Overall, the Directive increases the target of participation of renewable energy in the bloc's parent company to 45% by 2030, and aims at a larger consumption economy, with a reduction of at least 40% in final energy consumption.

In addition to the climate emergency scenario -- see the heat wave that hit Portugal, Spain, France and the United Kingdom this week -- the bloc is looking to expand the use of renewable energy as an outlet to end dependence on Russian gas.

The EU is struggling to prepare for further cuts in Russian gas supplies and will unveil a plan next week on how countries could cope with the winter if Russia halts deliveries. Reuters

In addition to the forecast of increased advanced biofuels, such as green diesel, the reformulation of the directive, known as RED III, classifies soybeans as a raw material at high risk of causing land use changes and requires member states to set an indicative goal for innovative technologies of at least 5% of newly installed renewable energy capacity.

Source: epbr