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This collection of charts is the most comprehensive source of detailed information about the biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas markets in Germany, Europe and worldwide. More than 30 informative graphics and tables give insight in the biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas market. Long time series give an idea of the development of the biofuel markets in Europe and worldwide. Focus is laid on production, consumption, external trade and market prices. Each chapter is prefaced by a short summary. The key facts Bioenergy are offered as ppt- or pdf-file.
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Effective 1 July 2010, biofuels will only be considered for blending purposes or tax relief if the prescribed sustainability certificate has been issued. Precondition for the sustainability certificate is that comprehensive documentation of the complete chain to farm level is available. The basis is a statement by the farmer to make sure that, nationally, the crop has not been grown on protected areas and, internationally, that rain forest has not been cleared.
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The German sustainability decree does not only increase administrative costs for the biofuels sector nor is it a simple amendment to the sustainability decree on electricity generation from biomass (BiomassestromNachhaltigkeitsverordnung - BioSt-NachV)). First, it re-defines market access to one of the top EU biofuel markets, also for non-EU market participants, from mid-2010. Second, the decree determines feedstock sourcing for biofuels producers. Finally, it may act as an example for the yet to be issued EU guidelines. Besides the new requirements from the government's decree, the biofuels consumption pattern is to change in the years to 2015, while discussions on the implementation of a greenhouse gas (GHG)-based biofuels legislation have already started.
For further information click here to download the document.
The target of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) from biofuels at least by 35% at present and by 50% from 2017 cannot, in most cases, be met by the standard levels defined in the Renewable Energies Directive (2009/28/EC) alone. What is needed is the individual optimisation of GHG emissions of each raw material and during processing along the whole conversion chain.
Crop farming is also affected if maximum 41.9 gCO2eq/MJ are not to be exceeded latest from 2017 and the limit for new plants is 33.5 gCO2eq/MJ from 2018. At a standard 52 g CO2eq/MJ , the emissions from rapeseed-based biodiesel is just below the limit of 54.5 g CO2eq/MJ for the present reduction target of 35 % in comparison with fossil fuel. So, to reach the reduction target of 50 % from 2017 and 60 % for new plants from 2018, additional efforts of reducing GHG emissions are an absolute necessity also on the part of crop farmers.
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The International Energy Agency’s Task 39 "Commercializing of the 1st and 2nd Generation Liquid Biofuels from Biomass" is going to inform the important producer and consumer countries about the results of a survey of grant policy basic parameters for biofuels with a continually updated report.
Interviewees for the survey were experts of the respectives countries. For Germany, the UFOP presented a report in collaboration with the chairman of the UFOP expert commission „Biofuels and renewable resources“, Prof. Dr. Munack (vTI) who is also a member of the IEA’s Task 39. The report considers the current politic state of discussion as far as possible at the time of delivery.
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From a quota system to GHG reduction requirements and the impact on biofuels
Since biofuels have been criticised increasingly in the recent past, current proposals for the reorientation of biofuels policy at German and European levels require sustainability certification of biofuels.1 In addition to the assurance of sustainable biomass production for bioenergy, reduction of GHG is also highly emphasized. The tendency is to no longer set mere volume or energetic quotas for the use of biofuels. It rather becomes apparent that in future policies GHG saving targets or at least a minimum percentage of GHG savings for biofuels, which can be accounted for within the quota system or tax promotion will dominate.
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Joint Strategy between BMU/BMELV, VDA, MWV, IG, VDB and DBV
At the round table discussions on biofuels held on 17 January and 5 June 2007 respectively, a joint strategy to promote biofuels – the Biofuels Roadmap – was agreed between Germany’s automotive industry, oil industry, SMEs operating in the oil industry, agricultural sector, Federal Environment Ministry (BMU) and Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV). The Roadmap sets out the medium-term measures needed to promote the use of biofuels in Germany and the EU.
Rapeseed oil methyl ester (RME) is currently not suitable for diesel particulate filters. The boiling characteristic of RME is an additional problem that presumably limits its further usability in Euro VI engines. Currently, hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) is in the state of obtaining acceptance as alternative fuel in the German legislation and is in the focus of discussions world-wide. HVO has physical and chemical advantages versus RME. In case RME should continue to be an appropriate fuel its molecule structure must be designed - probably by means of plant breeding. It is important to lower the boiling line by achieving chain lengths between 2and 16 carbon atoms and to have in mind the oxidation stability by focussing the number and the position of double bonds. Moreover, aspects of emissions and health effects must be kept in mind. Besides plant breeding, research should focus on highly efficient biotechnical transesterification, producing simultaneously shorter chain lengths. The phosphorus and metal contents of future biodiesel must become significantly lower than the specification limits that are valid at present.
Final Report to the Research Project „Measurement of ultra-fine particles in the exhaust gas of diesel engines fuelled with biodiesel“
Measurements of exhaust gas were carried out for a heavy-duty engine using four different
fuels: biodiesel (B100); fossil diesel fuel; Shell V-Power® diesel fuel; and a blend of Aral Ultimate® diesel fuel with 5% biodiesel. The aim of the underlying research project – entitled “Measurement of ultra-fine particles in the exhaust gas of diesel engines fuelled with biodiesel” – was to examine in detail the increase in ultra-fine particles that is observed when biodiesel is used instead of fossil diesel fuel. An assessment of the risks of exposure to ultrafine particles was expected as the outcome of the research.
The german report can be download on the following page.
To investigate influences of fuel design on regulated and non-regulated emissions of heavy-duty diesel engines, a Mercedes-Benz OM 906 Euro 3 engine was run with common diesel fuel (DF), first- and second-generation alternative fuels, and blends of these. Secondly, an IVECO Tector F4A Euro 4 test engine equipped with an urea based selective catalytic reduction (SCR) pilot series system was subjected to a 1000 hour endurance test using high-phosphorous (10 ppm) biodiesel. To unveil possible effects on catalyst efficiency, emissions were studied before and after this endurance test by performing ESC tests with common DF and biodiesel with high and low phosphorus content. For both engines, NOx content of exhaust gas became most critical with respect to Euro limits. Among non-regulated emissions, particle size distributions were determined with special focus on ultra fine particles (UFP), which are suspected to induce severe health problems. Additionally, Ames-tests were carried out to determine the mutagenic potency of particulate matter extracts. Both UFP and mutagenicity appeared to be negatively influenced with blends, biodiesel with high P-content, and rapeseed oil.
The report on the Emissions of Biodiesel and Vegetable Oil can be downloaded.
Every litre of biodiesel saves 2.2 kg greenhouse gases
Every litre of biodiesel saves 2.2 kg greenhouse gases Biodiesel (rapeseed oil methyl ester, RME), made from rapeseed, has become increasingly important as a source of fuel. During the last year alone its production has increased by approximately 30 % to 1.1 Million tonnes. In recent years there has been significant progress made in scientific research into biodiesel. For the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP), this has raised the question, "What do we now know about the environmental advantages and disadvantages of biodiesel over the entire production-to-consumption life cycle?" A study answering this question has now been completed by the IFEU-Institute Heidelberg.
In its 2004 report on sustainable development the previous German government reached the conclusion for fuels that by 2020 the increase in efficiency in diesel and Otto engines as well as innovative power generation concepts will play a central role. Biofuels such as biodiesel will in the future particularly be incorporated as components of blends. The same conclusion was reached by the previous German government for the future use of both Gas to Liquid fuels (GTL) as well as Biomass to Liquid fuels (BTL). Concerning the above formulated theses, the new German government will probably come to a similar assessment, too.
This study analyses and compares all international, publicly accessible publications about all biofuels for transportation currently used (e.g. biodiesel and bioethanol as well as those potential future biofuels like BTL).
The more stringent regulations for diesel engine emissions lead to the requirement that both fuels and engines must be developed jointly. In the future, so-called designer fuels will help to achieve the stringent limits. In this research, conventional diesel fuel, biodiesel, Swedish low sulfur diesel fuel MK1 and a specially designed diesel fuel were compared using a DaimlerChrysler diesel engine, running the modes of the ECE-R 49 test cycle. The results for regulated and non-regulated gaseous emissions, particulate matter size distributions as well as mutagenic effects of particle extracts are reported.
One characteristic of modern society is the striving for flexibility and mobility in all areas of the daily life. World-wide a steady rising of traffic can be noticed. In the EU, since many years the traffic increases much stronger than the production capacity. This traffic growth is dominated by the road haulage. Because of its efficiency and robustness the diesel engine became the dominating propulsion principle for trucks. The discussion about diesel exhaust related health effects led to a worldwide tightening up of the exhaust gas regulations, especially for heavy duty vehicles. Besides the emissions of particulate matter the limits for nitrogen oxides were substantially reduced. One possibility to keep these limits are engine measures. However, the problem is trade-off between particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. Therefore secondary measures have to be used to fulfill the regulations. The SCR technique (selective catalytic reduction) is one method that is well proven to reduce nitrogen oxides. In the result nitrogen oxides can be reduced to 95% and particulate matter up to 30%. Gaseous ammonia (NH3), ammonia in aqueous solution or urea in aqueous solution can be used as reducing agents. Manufacturers of heavy duty engines already have introduced it to the market.