(International Energy Agency) Renewable energy use in transport increases 60% as demand for electric vehicles and liquid biofuels expands
Renewable energy consumption in transport is forecast to increase from 5.5 EJ in 2025 to nearly 9 EJ in 2031, covering 6% of global transport energy demand. Growth is driven by countries looking to strengthen energy security, reduce fossil fuel import dependence, meet emissions reduction targets, and create economic development opportunities through greater renewable energy deployment in transport.
Renewable energy use and share in transport, main case, 2025-2031 Open
...
Renewable electricity accounts for 45% of this increase, driven by greater deployment of electric vehicles, with one-quarter of new car sales in 2025 electric vehicles alone, and forecasted increases in the share of renewables in electricity generation. Regionally, China drives this growth, with continued deployment of light-duty passenger electric vehicles and medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks, and development of domestic battery supply chains, followed by Europe, with increasing availability of electric vehicles.
Liquid biofuels in road transport account for an additional 35% of this growth as overall fuel demand increases and mandates in several regions. Blending mandates and rising transport fuel consumption underpin this expansion. Leading ethanol growth are Brazil (40%) and India (25%), while the United States (65%) and Indonesia (15%) lead renewable diesel growth, and Indonesia (70%) and Brazil (20%) lead biodiesel expansion.1
Liquid biofuels in marine and aviation transport make up an additional 10% of this growth. Growth in marine transport is driven primarily by the European Union’s long-term emission reduction targets under the FuelEU Maritime regulations. In aviation transport, biojet fuel2 growth is driven by Europe, owing to long-term sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandates in the United Kingdom and the European Union, followed by the United States due to federal and state-level policies and incentives.
Biomethane, renewable hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels make up the remaining 10% of renewable energy growth in transport. Biomethane growth is driven by India, with expansion of gas-powered vehicles and off-take agreements, the United States, with credit-generating opportunities under federal and state-level low-carbon fuel standards and several European countries as distribution infrastructure continues to grow. Hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuel growth is driven by the People’s Republic of China (hereafter, “China”), Korea, and Europe.
Energy security priorities raise liquid biofuel growth 40% above last year’s forecast
The current conflict in the Middle East has disrupted oil supplies, prices and key shipping routes, increasing attention on domestically produced sustainable fuels. As a response, governments in North America, South America and Asia Pacific are accelerating new and previously announced liquid biofuel mandates and policy measures to reduce exposure to oil market volatility and improve transport fuel affordability in the short, medium and long term.
Forecast revision to liquid biofuel demand growth by fuel, main case, 2025-2030 Open
...
Forecast revision to liquid biofuel demand by region, main case, 2025-2030 Open
...
These market and policy shifts raise total liquid biofuel demand growth to 2030 by 40% (16 billion litres per year or 272 thousand barrels per day [kb/d]) compared with last year’s forecast. Ethanol accounts for 50% of the upward revision, driven by India achieving E20 blending five years ahead of schedule, adjustments to US federal ethanol waivers and higher US Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) fuel obligations. Renewable diesel provides a further 30%, also supported by higher US RFS fuel obligations. Biodiesel and marine biodiesel account for the remainder, reflecting efforts to reduce fossil fuel import dependence in Southeast Asia and the continued implementation of the EU’s FuelEU Maritime regulations.
Road transport leads liquid biofuel demand while aviation and marine gain momentum
Total liquid biofuel demand in transport climbs nearly 30% on a volumetric basis, from 198 billion litres (3 401 kb/d or 5 EJ) in 2025 to 251 billion litres (4 331 kb/d or 6.6 EJ) in 2031. Liquid biofuels in road transport make up nearly 85% of this increase, as ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel consumption all continue to grow. Increases to mandates in Brazil, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Thailand, and higher renewable fuel volume obligations under the US RFS drive much of this growth. GHG intensity reduction requirements for transport fuels in Canada and Europe continue to expand demand as liquid biofuel blending remains a key pathway to meet regulatory obligations.
Liquid biofuel demand for road transport, main case, 2025-2031 Open
...
Liquid biofuel demand for aviation transport, main case, 2025-2031 Open
...
Liquid biofuel demand for maritime transport, main case, 2025-2031 Open
...
Aviation and maritime transport make up the remaining roughly 15%. Demand for SAF continues to grow, driven primarily by the ReFuelEU Aviation regulations, requiring a 6% SAF blend in jet fuel by 2030, and the United Kingdom’s SAF mandate, requiring 10% SAF blending by 2030. Mandates, supply-side obligations, and indicative and emissions-reduction based targets in several other countries such as Brazil, Japan, Singapore, India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Korea also drive demand globally. Meanwhile, demand for marine biodiesel stems primarily from the EU FuelEU Maritime regulations, requiring ships to reduce well-to-wake emission intensity, and followed by demand in Asia Pacific as the region services ships headed for Europe.
Fully implemented policies could increase liquid biofuel demand nearly 35% by 2031
With announced targets, mandates and supporting policies fully implemented, global liquid biofuel demand could increase to 333 billion litres (5 740 kb/d or 9.0 EJ), nearly 35% more than in the main case. One-third of the additional growth stems from continued support for higher ethanol blends in the United States, Brazil and India. Biodiesel and renewable diesel each contribute roughly 20%, owing to continued US RFS support for biodiesel and renewable diesel, and to higher biodiesel blending in Southeast Asia. Remaining growth results from the implementation of SAF mandates in several regions, such as the United Kingdom, the European Union, Brazil, India, Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia, and from potential implementation of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Net-Zero Framework (voting was delayed from 2025 to December 2026).
Liquid biofuel demand differences between the main and accelerated case, 2031
...
Accelerated growth in liquid biofuels would keep progress aligned with the COP30 Belém 4X Pledge on Sustainable Fuels - a global agreement endorsed by 32 countries to increase deployment of sustainable liquid and gaseous fuels by four times by 2035. However, achieving additional growth would require further policy, regulatory and financial support across the liquid biofuel supply chain in many regions such as ensuring adequate supply of sustainable and affordable feedstocks, development of new and emerging production pathways, amendments to regulations to continuously incentivise improvements to existing liquid biofuels while ensuring market access for new fuels and technologies, and short-, medium-, and long-term demand drivers such as public procurement, mandates and targets.
Selected policies to scale up liquid biofuel growth by market maturity and technology readiness
...
Oil-based feedstock use grows the fastest as demand rises for biodiesel, renewable diesel and biojet fuel
In the main case, feedstock demand rises 30% between 2025 and 2031, from 650 million tonnes per year to more than 850 million tonnes per year. Sugars and starches provide more than four-fifths of the increase, driven by rising ethanol demand, mainly in Brazil, India and the United States. Vegetable oils, waste oils and fats, and other feedstocks meet remaining growth in global feedstock demand, but oil-based feedstocks record the fastest increase over the forecast period. Oil-based feedstocks expand fastest, driven by renewable diesel and biojet fuel support in North America; higher biodiesel blending and biojet production in Asia Pacific; Brazil’s biodiesel mandate; and European SAF and maritime requirements.
Liquid biofuel feedstock demand for ethanol, main and accelerated cases, 2025-2031 Open
...
Liquid biofuel feedstock demand for biodiesel, renewable diesel and biojet fuel, main and accelerated cases, 2025 to 2031 Open
...
In the accelerated case, feedstock demand rises a further 15% above the main case, reaching 1 gigatonne per year by 2031. Sugar and starch use still grows the most, although this share declines to 65% as demand for vegetable oils, waste oils and fats rises as countries expand biodiesel, renewable diesel and biojet fuel production to meet road transport mandates, SAF targets, CORSIA requirements and, if adopted, the IMO Net-Zero Framework. Intensifying competition for these feedstocks, particularly vegetable oils, is likely to increase the need for new supply sources and conversion pathways such as alcohol-to-jet, using established ethanol supply chains, and Fischer-Tropsch using non-traditional feedstocks such as low-grade wood residues.
Robust sustainability frameworks are essential to scale up liquid biofuel growth
Liquid biofuels can deliver substantial emissions reductions across transport, but performance varies by feedstock, production process and supply chain. Robust sustainability frameworks are therefore essential to verify lifecycle GHG savings and limit adverse land, water and biodiversity impacts.
Performance-based standards and GHG thresholds already cover around 80% of global liquid biofuel demand. However, countries without domestic frameworks may struggle to demonstrate environmental benefits, manage unintended environmental impacts, and meet emerging trade requirements, weakening investor confidence in projects and access to global markets. Adapting established performance-based systems to national conditions and international requirements can provide clearer investment signals, support exports, and help ensure sustainable growth.
Lifecycle GHG emission ranges for selected sustainable liquid biofuel production pathways Open
...
References
-
Biodiesel is produced using a process known as transesterification, where feedstocks such as vegetable oils and waste oils react with alcohols in the presence of a catalyst to produce a fuel that is typically blended in limited quantities with conventional diesel. Renewable diesel is produced using a process known as hydrotreatment, where similar feedstocks react with hydrogen at high temperatures to produce a fuel that is chemically similar to petroleum diesel and can be used as a direct replacement.
-
Biojet fuel is a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced primarily from biomass feedstocks. SAF can also be produced from low-emissions hydrogen and carbon dioxide (e.g. synthetic fuels). This chapter only includes SAF produced from biomass (e.g. biojet fuel).
Related articles
More than 60,000 articles in our online library!
Use the categories and tags listed below to access the more than 60,000 articles indexed on this website.
Advanced Biofuels USA Policy Statements and Handouts!
- For Kids: Carbon Cycle Puzzle Page
- Renewable Fuels: What? How? Why? Educational Materials
- Why Ethanol? Why E85?
- Just A Minute 3-5 Minute Educational Videos
- “Disappearing” Carbon Tax for Non-Renewable Fuels
- What’s the Difference between Biodiesel and Renewable (Green) Diesel? 2020 revision
- How to De-Fossilize Your Fleet: Suggestions for Fleet Managers Working on Sustainability Programs
- New Engine Technologies Could Produce Similar Mileage for All Ethanol Fuel Mixtures
- Action Plan for a Sustainable Advanced Biofuel Economy
- The Interaction of the Clean Air Act, California’s CAA Waiver, Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards, Renewable Fuel Standards and California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard
- Latest Data on Fuel Mileage and GHG Benefits of E30
- What Can I Do?
Donate
DonateARCHIVES
- November 2026
- October 2026
- September 2026
- August 2026
- July 2026
- June 2026
- May 2026
- April 2026
- March 2026
- February 2026
- January 2026
- December 2025
- November 2025
- October 2025
- September 2025
- August 2025
- July 2025
- June 2025
- May 2025
- April 2025
- March 2025
- February 2025
- January 2025
- December 2024
- November 2024
- October 2024
- September 2024
- August 2024
- July 2024
- June 2024
- May 2024
- April 2024
- March 2024
- February 2024
- January 2024
- December 2023
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- June 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- October 2006
- April 2006
- January 2006
- April 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- December 1987
CATEGORIES
- About Us
- Advanced Biofuels Call to Action
- Aviation Fuel/Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
- Biobased Chemicals/Renewable Chemicals
- BioRefineries/Renewable Fuel Production
- Business News/Analysis
- Cooking Fuel
- Education
- 30/30 Online Presentations
- Competitions, Contests
- Earth Day 2021
- Earth Day 2022
- Earth Day 2023
- Earth Day 2024
- Earth Day 2025
- Earth Day 2026
- Executive Training
- Featured Study Programs
- Instagram TikTok Short Videos
- Internships
- Just a Minute
- K-12 Activities
- Mechanics training
- Online Courses
- Podcasts
- Scholarships/Fellowships
- Teacher Resources
- Technical Training
- Technician Training
- University/College Programs
- Events
- Coming Events
- Completed Events
- More Coming Events
- Requests for Speakers, Presentations, Posters
- Requests for Speakers, Presentations, Posters Completed
- Webinars/Online
- Webinars/Online Completed; often available on-demand
- Federal Agency/Executive Branch
- Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Agriculture (USDA)
- Commerce Department
- Commodity Futures Trading Commission
- Congressional Budget Office
- Defense (DOD)
- Air Force
- Army
- DARPA (Defense Advance Research Projects Agency)
- Defense Logistics Agency
- Marines
- Navy
- Education Department
- Energy (DOE)
- Environmental Protection Agency
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
- Federal Reserve System
- Federal Trade Commission
- Food and Drug Administration
- General Services Administration
- Government Accountability Office (GAO)
- Health and Human Services (HHS)
- Homeland Security
- Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Immigration and Customs Enforcement
- Interior Department
- International Trade Commission
- Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
- Justice (DOJ)
- Labor Department
- National Academies of Sciences Engineering Medicine
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- National Research Council
- National Science Foundation
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- Overseas Private Investment Corporation
- Patent and Trademark Office
- Securities and Exchange Commission
- State Department
- Surface Transportation Board
- Transportation (DOT)
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Federal Transit Administration
- Maritime Administration (MARAD)
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
- Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Admin (PHMSA)
- Treasury Department
- U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)
- White House
- Federal Legislation
- Federal Litigation
- Federal Regulation
- Feedstocks
- Agriculture/Food Processing Residues nonfield crop
- Alcohol/Ethanol/Isobutanol
- Algae/Other Aquatic Organisms/Seaweed
- Atmosphere
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Field/Orchard/Plantation Crops/Residues
- Forestry/Wood/Residues/Waste
- hydrogen
- Manure
- Methane/Biogas
- methanol/bio-/renewable methanol
- Not Agriculture
- RFNBO (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin)
- Seawater
- Sugars
- water
- Funding/Financing/Investing
- grants
- Green Jobs
- Green Racing
- Health Concerns/Benefits
- Heating Oil/Fuel
- History of Advanced Biofuels
- Infrastructure
- Aggregation
- Biofuels Engine Design
- Biorefinery/Fuel Production Infrastructure
- Carbon Capture/Storage/Use
- certification
- Deliver Dispense
- Farming/Growing
- Precursors/Biointermediates
- Preprocessing
- Pretreatment
- Terminals Transport Pipelines
- International
- Abu Dhabi
- Afghanistan
- Africa
- Albania
- Algeria
- Angola
- Antarctica
- Arctic
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Aruba
- Asia
- Asia Pacific
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Bahamas
- Bahrain
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Belize
- Benin
- Bermuda
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Canary Islands
- Caribbean
- Central African Republic
- Central America
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Congo
- Congo, Democratic Republic of
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Dominican Republic
- Dubai
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- Equatorial Guinea
- Estonia
- Eswatini/Swaziland
- Ethiopia
- European Union (EU)
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- French Guiana
- Gabon
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Global South
- Greece
- Greenland
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jersey
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Korea
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Latin America
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Liberia
- Libya
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Middle East
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Myanmar/Burma
- Namibia
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Guinea
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- North Africa
- North America
- North Korea
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Qatar
- Republic of
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia/Slovak Republic
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- South America
- South Korea (Republic of Korea)
- South Sudan
- Southeast Asia
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste
- Togo
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- UK (United Kingdom)
- Ukraine
- United Arab Emirates UAE
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vatican
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wales
- Zambia
- Zanzibar
- Zimbabwe
- Marine/Boat Bio and Renewable Fuel/MGO/MDO/SMF
- Marketing/Market Forces and Sales
- Opinions
- Organizations
- Original Writing, Opinions Advanced Biofuels USA
- Policy
- Presentations
- Biofuels Digest Conferences
- DOE Conferences
- Bioeconomy 2017
- Bioenergy2015
- Biomass2008
- Biomass2009
- Biomass2010
- Biomass2011
- Biomass2012
- Biomass2013
- Biomass2014
- DOE Project Peer Review
- Other Conferences/Events
- R & D Focus
- Carbon Capture/Storage/Use
- Co-Products
- Feedstock
- Logistics
- Performance
- Process
- Vehicle/Engine/Motor/Aircraft/Boiler/Ship
- Yeast
- Railroad/Train/Locomotive Fuel
- Resources
- Books Web Sites etc
- Business
- Definition of Advanced Biofuels
- Find Stuff
- Government Resources
- Scientific Resources
- Technical Resources
- Tools/Decision-Making
- Rocket/Missile Fuel
- Sponsors
- States/Territories
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Guam
- Hawai'i
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Midwest
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Native American tribal nation lands
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- Washington DC
- West Coast
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Sustainability
- Uncategorized
- What You Can Do
tags
© 2008-2023 Copyright Advanced BioFuels USA. All Rights reserved.
Comments are closed.