RED II agreement - Target for 3.5% advanced biofuels for the EU by 2030

By -


Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.

On June 14, a political agreement on a revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) was reached between negotiators from the Commission, the European Parliament and the Council (see official statement, 14/6/2018). The new regulatory framework includes a binding renewable energy target for the EU for 2030 of 32% with an upwards revision clause by 2023.

The press release does not mention the new rules affecting biofuels. However, several media have disclosed some key points of the agreement that I highligth below:
- At least, 14% of transportation fuel must come from renewable sources by 2030.
- Crop-based biofuels are capped at 2020 levels but cannot exceed 7%.
- Advanced biofuels with minimum targets: 0.2% in 2022, 1% in 2025 and 3.5% in 2030.
- Food crops (such as palm oil) that result in high indirect land use change (ILUC) are to be phased out through a certification process for low-ILUC biofuels.

Figure 1. MEPs posing with Miguel Arias Cañete (EU’s climate and energy commissioner who was acting as a mediator in the talks) after reaching the agreement

The text of the Directive will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council. Once endorsed by both co-legislators in the coming months, the updated RED will be published in the Official Journal of the Union and will enter into force 20 days after publication. Member States will have to transpose the new elements of the Directive into national law 18 months after its entry into force.

Popular Posts

Biofuels from algae

By -
Image
In my opinion, the production of biofuels and biobased chemicals from algae is one of the most fascinating topics in the sector of the biorefineries and it will be one of the niches of opportunity with highest potential in the medium and the long terms. This post pretend to be a very basic approach to the topic Algae-to-Biofuels through three general key points. Algae 1,2,3,4,5 Algae include a wide variety of photosynthetic organisms capable of transforming light, water and specific nutrients into products that can be used with commercial and industrial purposes. We can say that algae are sunlight-driven factories with potential to convert CO 2 into biofuels, high-value biochemical, food and feed. There are four algae cultivation technologies currently in use for commercial algae cultivation and proposed for algal biofuel production: extensive or open ponds, intensive or raceway ponds, closed photobioreactors in many designs and closed fermenter systems. Algal biof
Read more

Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones

By -
Image
English version Sección: BIOCOMBUSTIBLES AVANZADOS Serie: HVO - Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones - Hidrotratamiento(HVO) – Ventajas sobre el biodiesel convencional y propiedades - Biorrefinerías de Aceites Vegetales Hidrotatados (HVO) – El auge del diésel renovable - Entradas: HVO                El acrónimo HVO significa en inglés “ Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrotratados”) o ” Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrogenados”). Clave del proceso: Tratamiento con hidrógeno. En el proceso de producción de HVO, el hidrógeno se usa para eliminar el oxígeno de los triglicéridos produciendo una mezcla de parafinas lineales, CO 2 y agua. Posteriormente, el producto de la primera etapa se isomeriza, siempre en presencia de hidrógeno, para ramificar las cadenas lineales con el propósito de mejorar las propiedades de flujo en frío de los productos finales. Por tanto, los HVO son
Read more

Biorrefinerías de ácido levulínico

By -
Image
Fecha de publicación: 16/11/2015 Última actualización: 20/02/2016 Descripción 1,2 El ácido levulínico (también conocido como ácido 4-oxopentanoico o ácido γ-cetovalérico) es un compuesto orgánico con fórmula química C 5 H 8 O 3 . Es un sólido cristalino soluble en agua y en disolventes orgánicos polares. Contiene un grupo cetona y un grupo carboxilo cuya presencia posibilita patrones reactivos interesantes. Es uno de los “ Biobased Chemical Building Blocks ” más reconocidos, precursor de un amplio número de compuestos (véase el apartado Aplicaciones más abajo). De hecho, fue reconocido por el DoE como una de las principales moléculas plataforma del futuro y puede cubrir de manera eficaz muchas de las atribuciones de productos químicos y materiales procedentes del petróleo. Tecnologías de proceso 1,3,4,5 La degradación controlada de azúcares C6 mediante ácidos es el proceso más usado para preparar ácido levulínico a partir de biomasa lignocelulósica. Se han estu
Read more

Etanol celulósico – Lo básico: Conceptos y materias primas

By -
Image
English version Sección: BIOCOMBUSTIBLES AVANZADOS Serie: Etanol celulósico - Lo básico: Concepto y materias primas - Lo básico: Ruta de conversión –Bioquímica - Lo básico: Ruta de conversión –Termoquímica - Cellulosic ethanol biorefineries at commercial scale Entradas: ETANOL CELULÓSICO 1. Conceptos generales El etanol (también conocido como alcohol etílico, alcohol para beber o simplemente alcohol) es un líquido volátil, inflamable e incoloro con la fórmula molecular C 2 H 6 O (también se puede escribir como CH 3 CH 2 OH y C 2 H 5 OH) y a menudo se abrevia como EtOH. La Asociación Europea de Etanol Renovable (ePURE) afirma que el mercado del etanol se puede dividir en tres segmentos: (1) Combustible : etanol utilizado como aditivo en la gasolina o como combustible alternativo. (2) Potable : etanol utilizado para producir bebidas espirituosas, como aditivo alimentario, para la extracción de aromas, para la conservación de alimentos y
Read more

FDCA (2,5-furandicarboxylic acid) biorefineries

By -
Image
Publication date: 15/06/2017 Last update: 24/01/2018 Introduction 1,2,3,4,5 2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), also known as dehydromucic acid and pyromucic acid, is an organic compound that was first detected in human urine. In fact, a healthy human produces 3-5 mg/day. It is a very stable compound. Some of its physical properties, such as insolubility in most of common solvents and a very high melting point (it melts at 342 °C), seem to indicate intermolecular hydrogen bonding. FDCA has two carboxylic acid groups, which makes it a suitable monomer for polycondensation reactions with diols or diamines. It is one of the top 12 value-added biobased chemicals listed by the US DoE in 2004. The list was updated in 2010 and FDCA was included again, but this time in a group together with furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). Those three molecules are the main representatives of the furanics (furan derivatives) that has been referred to as “Sleeping Giants” beca
Read more