More than 660 experts discussed challenges and possible solutions for climate protection and resource conservation in transportation at the 21st International Congress on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future 2024”. The conclusion of the two-day congress: In order to quickly reduce the enormous use of fossil fuels in road, air and shipping transportation, an ambitious and above all technology-open expansion of all renewable drive options such as biofuels, e-fuels and e-mobility must have top priority.
The participants at the congress are sending a clear message that, in view of the need to catch up on climate protection in the transport sector and the global vehicle population of around 1.3 billion vehicles with combustion engines, there is no way around a ramp-up of alternative fuels. Even if electric vehicles dominate new car registrations in the future, climate protection solutions will be needed for non-electrified areas of application such as aviation and shipping, machinery in agriculture and forestry or heavy goods vehicles, as well as for vehicles with combustion engines. The Chairman of the German Bioenergy Association, Artur Auernhammer, emphasized at the opening of the congress that sustainable biofuels such as biodiesel, bioethanol or biomethane currently make the greatest contribution to climate protection in transport, but that in future other options such as e-fuels and HVO would have to be added that can be used in the existing infrastructure. It became clear at the congress that fuel manufacturers and the vehicle industry are ready to use more sustainable fuels. The framework conditions set by the EU with the Green Deal provide for the first time a complete regulatory framework for the entire transport sector excluding mineral oil, including infrastructure. The experts from science and business agreed that a technology-neutral approach to fleet limits and comprehensive greenhouse gas balancing of all powertrains was crucial to achieving rapid and comprehensive greenhouse gas reductions and thus climate protection targets.
The congress participants unequivocally expressed their displeasure at the lack of action by the EU Commission and the German government to investigate and curb the allegedly counterfeit imports of supposedly advanced biodiesel from China. They made it clear that the market distortions caused by these imports, which have been ongoing for around a year, are equally jeopardizing investments in all forms of renewable mobility.
With regard to the national policy for renewable fuels, the congress participants were irritated by the Federal Ministry for the Environment’s (BMUV) ongoing plan to exclude biofuels from cultivated biomass from the greenhouse gas reduction quota. The industry is also concerned about the ministry’s plans, which propose a reduction in the contribution to climate protection in the transportation of first-generation biofuels in the drafts for a national biomass strategy. The proposal, which was already rejected by other federal ministries last year, would jeopardize the industry’s planning security and prevent a reliable political framework, which is the cornerstone of research and innovation in renewable fuels.
Background:
More than 660 participants from 31 nations accepted the invitation of the five associations of the German biofuels industry to attend the two-day international “Fuels of the Future” conference to find out about the possibilities of the transport transition and low-CO2 mobility. The organizing associations would like to thank all partners and participants for the successful implementation of the congress and the exciting discussions.
The The 22nd International Congress for Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future 2025” will be held from 20. to January 21, 2025 as a face-to-face event in Berlin.