Biodiesel Sales Reach Record Level in 2020: German Biodiesel Exports Reach a New High

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March 08, 2021

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(Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP)) Since the introduction of the quota system in 2007, the admixture of biofuels to diesel fuel reached a record level of around 2.8 million tonnes. The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants eV is referring to the statistics published at the beginning of this week by the Federal Office for Economics and Export Control (BAFA). UFOP sees its expectation confirmed that the GHG quota, which has increased from 4 to 6 percent for 2020, could be met without any problems. The sufficient availability of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) played an important role.

The standard for diesel fuel (DIN EN 590) limits the proportion of fatty acid methyl ester (biodiesel) added to it to a maximum of 7 percent by volume. According to this standard, HVO can be added up to 26 percent. The UFOP estimates the share of biodiesel in fulfilling the quota at around 2.38 million t and that of HVO at around 0.42 million t. The quota requirement was met without any problems, although a transfer of quotas from previous years was not possible for 2020, explains the funding union. These and other options for meeting the quota obligation can and will be applied in 2021. Against this background, the UFOP is calling for the GHG quota to be increased to 6.5 percent in the current year. Even from 2022, more ambitious increases are possible and urgently needed in terms of climate protection,

The UFOP emphatically underlines the need for action to phase out palm oil as a raw material for biofuel production or to allow it to be offset against the GHG quota. This increases the domestic and European raw material potential instead of exporting biodiesel from rapeseed oil. The UFOP therefore welcomes the fact that the Federal Government is making use of the authorization of the Delegated Regulation of the EU Commission (2019/807) to no longer count biofuels made from palm oil from 2026. However, France and Austria show that an exclusion is possible immediately or even earlier than planned by the federal government.

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Graphic of the week (KW 08 2021)

German biodiesel exports reach a new high

With an export volume of around 2.33 million t and an export surplus of around 0.9 million t, Germany underlines its importance for the production and marketing of biodiesel in the European Union. This is stated by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants eV (UFOP) with reference to the current official statistics. A total of around 1.45 million tons of biodiesel were imported. With around 1 million t and 0.7 million t respectively, the Netherlands is again by far the most important recipient and export country. In the 2020 calendar year, Germany exported and imported more biodiesel than ever before.

According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft (mbH), there were also larger imports from Belgium, Malaysia and Poland. The increase in imports from France is particularly noticeable, with around 74,000 t, which delivered a good three times more biodiesel to the German market than in the previous year. While the Netherlands delivered around 2% less with 700,000 t, Malaysia delivered around 9% less with 139,000 t. In 2020, Germany delivered the record amount of 955,000 t to the Netherlands. This corresponds to an increase of almost 12% compared to the previous year. Deliveries to Belgium accounted for 15% of total exports in 2020. The state imported around 356,000 t, around 35% more than in the previous year.

The UFOP points out that the statistics shown only take biodiesel into account. Hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) is not included. In this context, the UFOP points out that there is an urgent need for action to adapt the information published in the official statistics. As a result of the increasing importance of HVO, biodiesel and HVO would have to be recorded and reported separately in order to enable better market transparency. The funding union justifies the demand by pointing out that these are different fuels, each with a specific fuel standard.

The next evaluation and experience report of the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLE), which the UFOP will publish for the end of October 2021, will show which amounts of biodiesel and HVO - differentiated according to the type and origin of raw materials - were actually counted towards the greenhouse gas quota of 6% in 2020 expected. READ MORE

UFOP urges German govt. to raise GHG quota as 2020 brings record sales of biobased diesel (UFOP/Biobased Diesel Daily)