'Unreasonable' Not to Include Biofuel in EU Car Deal

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March 27, 2023

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(Redazione ANSA) Energy Minister says Italy committed to meeting energy neutrality goals -- It is "unreasonable" for Europe not to include biofuels in a deal to allow the sale of vehicles that burn fuels made from renewable energy past 2035, Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin said on Saturday.

"We trust that Europe does not prove itself to be unreasonable and deaf to the calls coming from a country that is committed to meeting the goals that will make Europe an energy-neutral continent by 2050," Pichetto said.

His comment followed the announcement of an agreement between the EU and Germany on the use of carbon-neutral synthetic fuels, known as e-fuels, in cars.

Germany had been pushing for an exception to the EU's proposed 2035 ban on internal combustion engines in an attempt to reach its climate neutrality goal by 2050.

However, the deal excludes the use of biofuels, which Italy had instead been asking for.

Forza Italia lawmaker and head of the party's energy department Luca Squeri had earlier described the agreement as " simply intolerable".

"It is an agreement destined to harm not only Italy, but all of Europe," Squery said.

"The government must continue the sacrosanct battle for technological neutrality, because we risk paying dearly for the insane environmentalism of the European left." READ MORE

Italy makes biofuel demand as EU attempts to unblock combustion engine phase-out (Reuters)

what it means for Italy and for biofuels (breaking latest news)

Auto green, Meloni: “The game on biofuels is not lost” (breaking latest news)

Brussels to Berlin: We’ll find a way to save the car engine -- The European Commission’s dealmaking with its biggest car country clears a green law roadblock.(Politico)

Europe's electric car mandate is getting torn up, and Ferrari is into it -- Automaker can continue to sell combustion engines that run on e-fuel (Fox News; includes VIDEO)

EU ambassadors approve 2035 car engine deal (Politico Pro)

EU ministers pass 2035 car engine ban law --Backroom deal between Commission and Germany paves way for deal. (Politico)

Green cars, no to biofuels, but for Italy it’s half a victory (breaking latest news)

Auto green, there is the final go-ahead. On biofuels, Italy clings to 2026 (breaking latest news)

AUTO: SIMSON, THERE WILL BE NEGOTIATIONS ON BIOFUELS (Global Happenings/Ansa)

Auto green, Meloni: “The game on biofuels is not lost” (Breaking Latest News)

Excerpt from breaking latest news: On 21 March Pichetto Fratin, Salvini and the Minister of Industry Adolfo Urso had written to Timmermans explaining Italy’s position on biofuels. But the Commission has never considered extending the regulation to biofuels because this would have entailed the reopening of the text resulting from an agreement already closed and voted on by the EU Parliament. And in fact the regulation will remain unchangedeven after the agreement with Berlin. German Transport Minister Volker Wissing explained that concrete procedural steps have been agreed and that a specific timetable has been made binding: “We want the process to be completed by autumn 2024,” he added.

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The already announced negative vote of Italy and Poland and the abstention of Bulgaria (it counts as a “no”) are not enough to form a blocking minority, which includes at least four countries representing 35% of the EU population.

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The agreement between Berlin and the European Commission provides that it will still be possible to sell new cars with combustion engines powered exclusively by synthetic fuels even after the entry into force of the legislation requiring the sale of new cars only with zero CO2 emissions from 2035 , so no more petrol or diesel, opening the door to the electric car.

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But while e-fuels are already present in the regulation in “recital 11”, biofuels are not mentioned. The Commission has always been very clear that it would not touch the text of the regulation because the agreement between the EU institutions had already been reached and could not be questioned.

The negotiations

Berlin took advantage of the window opened by Rome with the announcement of its “no” why Germany has thus become the tip of the balance in the vote in the Council (last step in the process for adopting a legislative text). The German Minister of Transport Volker Wissing, of the liberale party in crisis of consensus in Germany, seized the opportunity by expressing his doubts and asking for clarifications on the text in the e-fuels part in order to preserve the production of the German motor industry burning beyond that deadline. READ MORE

Excerpt from Fox News: Porsche is among the companies that have invested in the technology and has demonstrated one of its gasoline-powered 911 sports cars running on fuel produced at a wind-powered plant in Chile.

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The current production cost at the pilot plant is $45 per gallon, but Porsche expects that to be down to $8 by 2026, which would put it close to par with gasoline in Europe.

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Rival Italian exotic sports carmaker Lamborghini, which is a sister company to Porsche as part of the VW Group, is about to begin transitioning all of its models to hybrid powertrains, but has no current plans to offer an electric car.

CEO Stephan Winkelmann has said the brand's customers enjoy the sound and performance of a combustion engine that synthetic fuels could be one way to keep them alive.

A hybrid replacement for the Aventador that uses a V12 engine is set to be revealed on March 29, and it's already sold out.

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Italy is also lobbying for biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel to be exempted, but the commission has not yet indicated if they will be included in the updated regulations. READ MORE

Excerpt from breaking latest news: A vision shared by Massimo Artusi, vice president of Federauto, with responsibility for Trucks&Vans. “The European decision to give endothermic engines for cars and vans a future, envisaging their use with synthetic fuels beyond 2035, represents ana important and positive strategic choice, which overcomes the mistaken logic of entrusting the future of mobility only to electric vehicles Artusi said. – “Now the EU Council cannot set aside biofuels from renewable sources, which, even more than e-Fuels, ensure a completely neutral carbon footprint”. According to Artusi, “to include e-fuels, but not bio-fuels, would ultimately represent an incomprehensible choice on a technical, environmental and functional level, considering that the real target of European regulation on energy transition is decarbonisation” .

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And France?

Behind an image of apparent neutrality France is watching the evolution of the debate on e fuel and biofuels with great interest. According to data published by the specialized magazine l’Argus at the end of last year already 36% of service stations which distribute over 500 cubic meters of petroleum products a year they sell E85, the biofuel composed of 85% bio-ethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. The transformation of petrol cars to circulate with E85 (85% bio-ethanol and 15% petrol) requires in France the installation of a special approved box to allow the petrol engine to use either vegetable fuel or that of fossil origin. The operation, depending on the complexity of each individual engine, it can cost between 700 and 1,500 euros. An investment that for motorists translates into nand 40% less greenhouse gas emissions. READ MORE