Across most of the EU, the current maximum ethanol blend in gasoline is E10, with up to 10 percent renewable ethanol produced from multipurpose crops, waste and residues. Production and use of European renewable ethanol reduces GHG emissions by 79 percent on average compared to fossil petroleum.
“The Commission confirms the role that higher biofuel blending can play in decarbonising existing vehicle fleets” Von der Leyen wrote in a letter to three German MEPs, according to the Bild newspaper. “As part of the revision of the policy framework for fuels, the Commission will consider authorizing higher ethanol contents (E20), taking into account in particular any problems related to the suitability of engines in existing vehicles for this fuel, as well as the need to incentivize investment in advanced biofuels.”
This comes just as the Commission released its AccelerateEU communication aimed at assuring European energy security and reducing dependence on foreign oil, in which it also calls for increased domestic EU production of sustainable biofuels.
It is an indication that the Commission considers EU renewable ethanol biorefineries as strategically important for the production of food, feed, fuel and biogenic CO2 to help achieve Europe's goals for transport decarbonisation, energy independence, food security and industrial and agricultural autonomy.
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