Fit for 55: Parliament Pushes for Greener Aviation Fuels

(European Parliament) Suppliers to start delivering sustainable fuel from 2025, reaching 85% of all aviation fuel in EU airports by 2050; Electricity and hydrogen should be part of new fuel mix; Create a Sustainable Aviation Fund to encourage investment in cleaner technologies -- Used cooking oil, synthetic fuel or even hydrogen should gradually become the norm as aviation fuel to help EU become climate neutral by 2050, said MEPs on Thursday

Parliament adopted its position on new draft EU rules to increase the uptake of sustainable fuels by EU planes and airports, in order to cut emissions from aviation and ensure Europe becomes climate neutral by 2050.

MEPs increased the Commission’s original proposal for the minimum share of a sustainable aviation fuel that should be made available at EU airports. From 2025, this share should be 2%, increasing to 37% in 2040 and 85% by 2050, taking into account the potential of electricity and hydrogen in the overall fuel mix (Commission proposed 32% for 2040 and 63% for 2050).

Parliament amended the proposed definition of sustainable aviation fuel, a term that covers synthetic fuels or certain biofuels, produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste or used cooking oil.

MEPs included under their definition recycled carbon fuels produced from waste processing gas, and exhaust gas deriving from production process in industrial installations. They also suggested some biofuels, produced from animal fats or distillates, could be included in the aviation fuel mix for a limited time (until 2034). However, MEPs excluded feed and food crop-based fuels, and those derived from palm oil, soy-derived materials and soap stock, because they do not align with the proposed sustainability criteria.

MEPs also included renewable electricity and hydrogen as part of a sustainable fuel mix, as both are promising technologies that could progressively contribute to the decarbonisation of air transport. According to the draft rules, EU airports should facilitate the access of aircraft operators to sustainable aviation fuels, including with infrastructure for hydrogen refuelling and electric recharging.

Parliament proposed the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Fund from 2023 to 2050 to accelerate the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and support investment in sustainable aviation fuels, innovative aircraft propulsion technologies, and research for new engines. The Fund would be supplemented by penalties generated by the enforcement of these rules.

In order to further promote the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and to inform the public about greener aviation, MEPs tasked the Commission with developing by 2024 an EU labelling system on the environmental performance of aircrafts, operators and commercial flights.

EP rapporteur Søren Gade (Renew, DK) said: “Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise. Today we showed how to do this and sent a strong and ambitious signal to the citizens of Europe. We heard you when you called for climate action, and we are working as much as we can to achieve a truly green Europe.”

The negotiating mandate was adopted by 334 votes to 95 and 153 abstentions. Parliament is now ready to start negotiations with member states.

Civil aviation accounts for 13,4% of total CO2 emissions from EU transport. The ReFuelEU Aviation initiative is part of the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package", the EU’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels, in line with the European Climate Law. READ MORE

Excerpt from GreenAir Online: A plenary session of the European Parliament has voted to adopt a report aimed at increasing the uptake of sustainable aviation fuels in the EU but with elements that go further than those proposed by the European Commission, including an accelerated introduction of SAF that should be made available at EU airports. Both sides agree that the minimum share of SAF should be 2% from 2025 but the Parliament is pushing for 37% share in 2040, compared to the Commission’s 32%, and increasing to 85% by 2050, as opposed to 63%. Other positions adopted include the expansion of the definition of SAF to include, for example, renewable electricity and green hydrogen. However, MEPs excluded food and feed crop-based fuels and those derived from palm fatty acid distillates (PFAD), intermediate crops and palm or soy-derived distillates, a move welcomed by both European airlines and environmental NGOs. The decision comes shortly after another vote in the Parliament to extend the scope of the EU ETS to include all EEA outgoing flights, a move now opposed by the Council of EU member states that supports the Commission’s proposal to restrict the scope to intra-EEA flights and apply CORSIA to other international departing flights. The co-legislators will hold trilogue negotiations to find common positions on both regulations.

The proposed regulation adopted by the Parliament last week looks to ensure the pool of eligible sustainable feedstock be as inclusive as possible “in order to maximise the potential for scaling up the production of sustainable aviation fuels at affordable costs”, and calls on the Commission to review the list of eligible feedstocks every two years. READ MORE