Dear readers,
Our beautiful planet is in danger. At least with regard to the environmental disasters that are looming over us. This isn’t the beginning of an Al Gore speech, but rather the reason why there is a group of people who value their bank accounts more than enjoying the joys of an intact environment.
E-mobility should initiate the energy transition and CO2 savings in the transport sector in Germany and Europe. Currently, there are only 1.6 million purely electric vehicles on German roads. In contrast, there are 44 million cars with combustion engines: 30 million gasoline vehicles and 14 million diesel vehicles.
Given these figures, the contribution these electric vehicles make to CO2 savings in the transport sector is very small. Therefore, emission savings must be achieved through other measures, such as a higher blending rate of renewable fuels, such as bioethanol, in gasoline.
By increasing the blending of bioethanol into gasoline, the majority of existing gasoline-powered vehicles could further reduce their CO2 emissions relatively quickly. The necessary infrastructure wouldn’t even have to be created, resulting in additional cost savings.
According to some political decision-makers, the ADAC (German Automobile Club) and motorsport operators such as Four Motors or the Max Kruse Racing Team, E20 can make an additional contribution to climate protection by using more environmentally friendly bioethanol in gasoline.
One basis for changes to the legal framework is the rapid technical standardization of an E20 fuel, which is already taking place at the European level. In recent years, the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) has already developed a standardization proposal, which was submitted to the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). The BDBe (German Association of Motor Vehicles) is also involved in the national and European standardization of fuels, among other things. More information at: https://www.bdbe.de/tanken/vorteile-e20
According to ePURE members and other EU producers, bioethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 79 percent compared to fossil fuels in 2024, according to newly certified data. As EU policymakers consider how best to decarbonize road transport, the new high greenhouse gas savings further confirm the importance of renewable ethanol as a replacement for fossil fuels in the gasoline and hybrid vehicles that continue to be favored by Europeans. https://www.epure.org/press-release/eu-renewable-ethanol-sets-new-record-for-greenhouse-gas-reduction-confirming-its-importance-for-transport-de-fossilisation/
You can find out more about biofuels and the mobility of tomorrow at the Fuel Congress in Berlin in January 2026. The congress’s motto is “Turbo Ignite, Renewable Takeoff” and will once again bring together experts from the biofuels industry, mobility, science, and politics. For over 20 years, the event has been a central platform for international exchange on renewable mobility, innovative fuels, and their contribution to achieving climate goals. The link:https://www.fuels-of-the-future.com/en
Further information can be found at the link:
Wishing all readers a good and successful week
Bernd Ahlers
BerlinFollowing the ADAC’s withdrawal from the GHG quota trading business at the end of the 2024 quota year, another company is withdrawing from this trading business with the initiation of insolvency proceedings against EMOVY GmbH. The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) views this and previous insolvency proceedings in this still young industry as collateral damage from the increasing number of fraudulent imports of biodiesel and HVO from China, most recently in spring 2025 from a nonexistent HVO plant in Dubai. https://www.emovy.de/
The European Energy Exchange (EEX) launched the new Biogas Production Certificates (CPBs – Certificats de Production de Biogaz) in France on June 16. This initiative, mandated by the Ministry of Economy, Energy Policy, aims to support the development of biomethane as a renewable energy source in the country. The CPB program, introduced as part of the 2021 French Climate and Resilience Act, requires natural gas suppliers to offer their customers a minimum share of biomethane. This is achieved through the obligation to return CPBs to the French government, thereby promoting the integration of renewable gases into the national energy mix. https://www.iamrenew.com/green-energy/european-energy-exchange-eex-launches-biogas-production-certificates-registry-in-france/
Iberdrola has received the first certifications for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) in Spain. According to Enagas, the company has already been issued the first Guarantees of Origin for hydrogen in Spain. Specifically, 1,369 MWh of hydrogen produced at the Barcelona plant operated by Iberdrola were certified. In addition, 10,937 Guarantees of Origin with the same hydrogen label were subsequently issued, produced at the plant that also operates the Puertollano power plant. https://www.qcintel.com/biofuels/article/iberdrola-receives-first-certification-for-renewable-fuels-in-spain-43240.html
Viva Energy recently opened its first renewable hydrogen refueling station in Australia at its Geelong Energy Centre. The facility is the country’s first publicly accessible commercial hydrogen refueling station and will serve as a central hub for a fleet of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission commercial vehicles serving the Geelong region. The project includes a 2.5-megawatt electrolyzer to produce renewable hydrogen using recycled water from Barwon Water’s Northern Water Plant. The project includes a fleet of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs)—including tractor units, buses, and refuse collection trucks—operated by local businesses that will use the Viva Energy Centre for refueling. https://www.vivaenergy.com.au/media/news/2025/australia-enters-new-energy-future-with-first-public-hydrogen-station-at-viva-energy-hub-in-geelong
Data from the US Energy Information Administration shows that US ethanol production fell from its record high to 1.109 million barrels per day. This represents a decrease of 11,000 barrels per day compared to the previous week, when the record was set. Due to the slight decline in production volumes, margins are expected to remain positive and stable compared to the previous week. Inventories rose to 24.12 million barrels, while exports also continued to rise at 163,000 barrels per day. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/data.php
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on Friday a major step forward to strengthen American energy security and support American farmers by proposing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volume requirements for 2026 and 2027. This action represents a critical and much-needed step in the evolution of this program. This is the 20th anniversary of the RFS program. Under President Trump’s leadership, EPA’s “Set 2” proposal ensures the RFS program remains true to Congress’ original intent of increasing the use of homegrown American biofuels, unleashing American energy, and supporting rural economies. https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-proposes-new-renewable-fuel-standards-strengthen-us-energy-security-support-0
Plant cell wall components such as cellulose are rich in carbohydrates, which are commonly used in biofuels and bioproducts. However, extracting these components from plant biomass is relatively challenging due to their complexity. In a study published in FEBS Open Bio, researchers discovered that a combination of fungal enzymes can efficiently degrade plant biomass, thus enabling extraction. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-enzymes-fungi-components-biofuels-bioplastics.html
TotalEnergies and Quatra, the European market leader in the collection and recycling of used cooking oil, have signed a 15-year agreement beginning in 2026, for the supply of 60,000 tons a year of European used cooking oil to TotalEnergies’ biorefineries. This deal contributes to secure the feedstock to produce biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Under the terms of the agreement, Quatra will collect used cooking oil directly from restaurants, restaurant chains and industry in France and the rest of Europe. The oil will then be delivered to Quatra sites for filtering before being shipped to TotalEnergies’ biorefineries to produce road biofuels and SAF. https://totalenergies.com/system/files/documents/totalenergies_pr-paris-air-show-totalenergies-signs-deal-with-quatra-secure-feedstock-for-its-biorefineries_2025_en.pdf
EEW Energy from Waste (EEW) and the mechanical and plant engineering company GEA have agreed on a strategic partnership for CO₂ capture. The goal of the collaboration is to test innovative processes for the capture and utilization of CO₂ under real-world conditions and further develop them for industrial application. As a first step, EEW has acquired a mobile test facility from GEA. The facility will be deployed at various EEW sites starting in summer 2025, initially in Delfzijl, Netherlands. It is intended to provide practical insights into the efficiency, scalability, and integration of CO₂ capture into existing thermal waste recycling processes. https://www.eew-energyfromwaste.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/articles/eew-and-gea-launch-strategic-partnership-for-co2-capture/