The European Parliament approved draft EU rules Thursday (7 July) to greatly increase the amount of green jet fuel used in the aviation sector, a move lawmakers say will help to slash flying’s carbon footprint.

Under plans tabled by the European Commission in July 2021, aircrafts refuelling at EU airports would be obliged to uplift kerosene mixed with less polluting sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The percentage of SAF in the mix would increase at roughly five-year intervals.

Lawmakers in Strasbourg gave their support to higher SAF targets than those proposed by the European Commission and expanded the list of feedstocks from which SAF can be produced.

Under the Parliament’s position, aviation fuel must include 2% SAF from 2025, rising to 85% by 2050 – a significant increase from the Commission’s original proposal of 63% SAF by 2050.

The Parliament also pushed up sub-targets for synthetic fuels to 50% of all jet fuel by 2050.

The proposed rules aren’t final yet. To become law, they have to be agreed by negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states during so-called trialogue talks due to start in September.

Søren Gade, the Danish lawmaker responsible for directing the file through Parliament, hailed the result as 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,” he said.

In addition, the Parliament proposed the creation of a Sustainable Aviation Fund to support research and investment into clean aircraft propulsion technologies, such as electric-planes and hydrogen-powered jet engines.

Renewable electricity and green hydrogen were given the green light from MEPs for inclusion in the SAF mix, with requirements for airports to facilitate recharging and refuelling.

MEPs also backed the development of an EU labelling system categorising the environmental performance of aircrafts and operators, in a bid to help consumers make greener choices.

Broader feedstock base for SAFs

Under the European Commission’s proposal, tabled in July 2021, SAFs were limited to e-fuels and second-generation biofuels from EU-approved feedstocks as listed in the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive.

The European Parliament voted to expand this list of feedstocks to include recycled carbon fuels produced from waste processing gas and biofuels derived from so-called category three animal fats up until 2034.

In a win for the Greens, the Parliament voted to exclude palm oil by-products and food crops, including palm fatty acid distillates (PFAD), intermediate crops, and palm or soy-derived distillates – feedstocks which MEPs had approved in committee.

Greens MEP Ciarán Cuffe hailed the exclusions as “good news for forests, food security, and climate.”

Ahead of the vote, the centre right EPP Group had pushed for a broad definition to meet the higher SAF targets, arguing it was necessary to prevent foreign fuel dependency.

Reactions

A4E, a trade association representing major European airlines, welcomed the exclusion of palm oil by-products and food crops from the fuel system, saying the move will help to ensure the “legitimacy” of SAFs.

“Passengers can now trust that the ramp up of sustainable fuels in the coming years will not occur at the expense of food supplies for people or animals, nor damage our environment,” A4E said in a statement.

However, airlines were displeased with the higher blending target set by the Parliament, which will likely result in higher airfares.

“Because SAFs, and especially e-fuels, will remain significantly more expensive than conventional jet fuel in the coming years, it is key that targets remain reasonable and that policy-makers work to limit the cost of the energy transition for passengers,” said A4E.

The trade association called for SAF allowances to be included in the Emission Trading System – the EU’s carbon market which charges companies to pollute – to bridge the price gap with fossil kerosene.

Green NGO Transport & Environment celebrated the stricter definition of SAF adopted by the Parliament but called on MEPs and EU country representatives to exclude third category animal fats when they meet to finalise the law in during so-called trialogue negotiations in September.

“If we are serious about fighting climate change and decarbonising aviation, Europe needs to make more choices like the one we witnessed today. Sustainable aviation fuels should have no link whatsoever to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and increasing food prices,” said Matteo Mirolo, aviation policy officer with T&E.

In a statement, the European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA) welcomed the outcome of the vote, noting the higher sub-targets for e-fuels and the allowance of category three animal fats.

EWABA had long campaigned for a broader SAF feedstock base, arguing that the European Commission’s proposal would monopolise used cooking oil for the aviation sector due to a lack of SAF alternatives in the short term.

A strict SAF definition would divert waste biodiesel from the maritime and road transport sectors, essentially ringfencing the market for large SAF producers and increasing overall emissions, according to the trade association.

Negotiations between the Parliament and Council are expected to start in September, after which the agreed compromise will become law.

Source: Euractiv.com