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Biofuels “indispensable” for decarbonisation of EU transport sector, argue MEPs

In an interview with The Parliamentarian two MEPs have argued that biofuels have “an essential part” to play in the EU’s energy transition.

German MEP Hans-Olaf Henkel, Parliament's ECR group shadow rapporteur on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources; and Croatian MEP Marijana Petir, the European Parliament's environment, public health and food safety opinion rapporteur on renewable energy progress; were speaking to The Parliamentarian about the future of the EU’s energy, and the promotion of renewable sources.

“We need an EU-wide renewable energy target of at least 35 per cent by 2030. If we do nothing but maintain the status quo, we will most likely reach the 27 per cent by 2030 anyway. Investors need certainty and clear policy signals coming from the EU. Chinese investments and demand drive prices down,” Henkel says.

Both stressed the importance of biofuels in the transitional phase of the transport sector’s decarbonisation. “Biofuels are indispensable for the transitional phase to the decarbonisation of the transport sector. Many member states have put ambitious targets in place. In this transition phase, in which we need biofuels, we should make sure that we get the sustainability criteria right and stop deforestation in third countries,” Henkel argues.

"I would like to focus on topics that are very important for European agriculture and could have an impact on farmers, agricultural production and rural areas, with particular emphasis on greenhouse gas savings, biomass use and sustainability criteria for biofuels and biomass," Petir says in the article.

"Given that road transport accounts for 20 per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions, I believe it is necessary to determine the sectoral target of using renewable energy in road and rail transport at European level with a biofuel share of at least 15 per cent. 

"I believe that the level of production of conventional biofuels should remain at seven per cent of final gross energy consumption in the transport sector at European level without phasing down to 3.8 per cent by 2030, as proposed by the Commission. 

"Given the specificities of the member states, I propose that EU countries should be allowed to determine independently their share of the contribution in the transport sector within the integrated national energy and climate plans."





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