"For progress in biofuels in Europe, look to the East!": report from Biofuels International
In the Czech republic, Biofuels Digest columnist Will Thurmond filed this report from the Bioenergy International conference and expo in Prague.
Western EU biofuels development overall at a policy level is basically on hold, due to ill-defined sustainability criteria and lack of support from the EU level. The reaction from this continued stagnation and indecision is western EU states are becoming fractured on EU directive transport fuels policy and action, inaction, dis-satisfaction, and sustainability often as an instrument of protectionism vs. soy and palm. One trend, Spain and a few other states are trending and moving ahead independently on biofuels (and Petrobras Palm biodiesel imports, Argentine imports). The EU is still stimied by mixes of B20 soy from Americas mixed with grease, animal fats and working on how to deal with that at the policy level to help protect local ag-based biodiesel industries for energy independence at home – and grow at the same time which is a challenge.
On a positive note, Eastern Europe is picking up the slack for “limits to growth” in rapeseed biodiesel in the EU. The Czech republic has a new policy under revision for biofuels blending mandates which started near 7% for biodiesel and 5% for ethanol, and has revised this policy recently closer to 6% for biodiesel and 4% for ethanol. It remains a moving target. A key trend – other East European states are importing rapeseed from Ukraine, Russia, and growing it at home, blending with grease, and using small volumes at home, and exporting larger volumes of blended biodiesel with rapeseed into Western Europe where rapeseed is the only sustainable game in town besides grease.
Spoke with Rob Verhiout from Bio on the status of Ethanol in Europe. He said it continues to move slowly, primarily due to lack of EU policy support, and very negative political and popular opinion on ethanol. I asked Rob which feedstock is most economically viable that can be grown domestically for ethanol, and he replied sugar beets (non food crop). When I asked him which companies are in pilot projects for sugar beets and what the economics were, he had two answers – the first was, “some projects are planned and awaiting finance and policy support to move to the pilot phase”, and the second answer was “I can not disclose proprietary information about our members” which was understandable but could be inferred as just another way to say things are moving slowly.
Ag-residues to Pyrolysis vs. cellulosic ethanol was a key theme at the event. Cellulosic biofuels are a ways away, but ag residues are here today and can be turned into bio-crude or pyrolysis oil that can then be delivered for heavy diesel engines and for power generation. This was interesting to see the Pyrolysis guys taking on the cellulosic ethanol industry with a ready-to-go technology today into fuel oil for traditional diesel powergen, heavy duty transport. The Eastern European countries need the crude for economic and infrastructure development with increasing needs for fuel oil (heavy diesel) that can support emerging markets growth in the East via clean biocrude pyrolysis oil for use in heavy industry for construction tractors, heavy moving equipment, and powergen. Good to see progress in this arena, and fascinating to see the debate of ag-residues ready for pyrolysis oil but not for cellulosic ethanol.
Those are the highlights. For progress in biofuels in Europe, look to the East!
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Category: International
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