Larger sunflower seed harvest in the EU

In the EU-27, the 2023 harvest of sunflower seed came in considerably larger than the previous year. It also exceeded the long-term average. more...

Soy with higher-than-average yields

Although the German soybean area 2023 was smaller than the previous year, the harvest is seen to clearly exceed the previous year's figure. more...

More soybeans from the US

Soybean is the most important oilseed crop imported into the European Union, ahead of rapeseed. EU-27 soy imports in the first four and a half months of the running marketing year amounted to just less than 4.0 million tonnes. This was up around 75,000 tonnes on the same period in the 2022/23 season. more...

More rapeseed from Russia and the EU-27

In its latest report, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) slightly raised its forecast of global rapeseed production and consumption. Ending stocks were also revised up. more...

FAO vegetable oil price index continued downslide

Trends in global vegetable oil prices were mixed in October. Whereas palm oil was offered at much lower prices, soybean, rapeseed and sunflowerseed oil saw a slight rise. more...

Biofuels: Associations publish facts and demands

Brochure on consumer survey, background knowledge and industry demands for effective controls, higher admixtures and reduced tolls. more...

Raised cap on greenhouse gas emissions strengthens demand for biodiesel - UFOP calls for consideration of earlier GHG quota increase

August 2023 use of biodiesel/HVO increased substantially month-on-month. At 233,000 tonnes, the amount of biodiesel blended in diesel fuel was not just around 2.5 per cent larger in August 2023 than the previous month, but also the biggest volume since March 2023. more...

EU rapeseed imports declined

In the first quarter of the running crop year rapeseed imports to the EU were lower than a year earlier. The end of the grain export agreement and the import ban EU neighbouring countries imposed on imports of Ukrainian goods are obviously making an impact. more...

Argentine soybean stocks are running low

After the disastrous 2023 soybean harvest, the processing industry in Argentina is short of feedstock to maintain production. more...

UFOP publishes status report "Biodiesel & Co. 2022/2023

Russia's war against Ukraine shook up the global energy and oilseed and vegetable oil markets. The European Union, together with the business community, has in principle successfully countered the possible negative consequences. The big losers, however, are global climate protection and thus the regions of the global South that are particularly affected by climate change. more...

More sunflower seed from Ukraine

According to recent information published by the International Grains Council (IGC), global production of sunflower seed will probably amount to 56.1 million tonnes in 2023/24. more...

Foreign trade with biodiesel on the increase

In the past six years, both German imports and exports of biodiesel increased steadily. The Netherlands was by far the most important trading partner, followed by Belgium and Poland. more...

2023/24 vegetable oil production to hit record levels

According to USDA estimates, global production of vegetable oils is set to grow for the third consecutive year and reach new record highs. more...

Germany a major rapeseed oil supplier to the EU

German shipments of rapeseed oil increased again in the 2022/23 crop year, following a significant decline a year earlier. At just less than 1.3 million tonnes, Germany exported just over 19 per cent more rapeseed oil in 2022/23 than in the previous season. more...

EU legume harvest higher than average

EU output of legumes from the 2023 crop is expected to exceed the previous year's figure by 5 per cent and also the average of the past five years. Field peas and soybeans are seen to show the biggest increase. more...

German biodiesel exports at a high level

Foreign trade in biodiesel is poised to be brisk in 2023. German exports in the first six months rose 16 per cent on the year-earlier period. Imports declined 11 per cent. The export surplus amounted to approximately 0.81 million tonnes. From the perspective of UFOP, exports are an extremely important outlet that takes pressure off the rapeseed oil market. They are therefore highly significant for oil mills' capacity utilization. The UFOP assumes the main imports to be biodiesel and HVO from waste oils which HVO is accounted for the in the statistics, but not shown separately. more...

Brisk rapeseed imports despite large harvest

In the crop year 2022/23, Germany imported around 5.74 million tonnes of rapeseed. This was 2 per cent more than in the previous marketing season, although the 2022 rapeseed harvest was more abundant than a year earlier. Australia remained the number one supplier country, delivering 1.4 million tonnes. At 3.4 million tonnes, the majority of imports came from EU countries, more...

Soybean supply set to hit record high

According to recent information published by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), global soybean production in the running season is likely to amount to round 403 million tonnes, with Brazil, Argentina and the US accounting for 81 per cent of that figure. more...

Ukrainian 2022/23 oilseed exports up on previous year - EU was primary trading partner

Exports of oilseeds grown in Ukraine increased despite the war that has been going on since February 2022 and the associated restrictions. more...

Consumption of biodiesel and bioethanol fluctuated moderately

In the first four months of 2023, consumption of B7 diesel fuel amounted to just over 9.6 million tonnes, which was down just under 7 per cent on the previous year's volume. Above all, March 2023 outstripped the previous sales quantities in the calendar year. April 2023 biodiesel consumption declined just less than 5 per cent to 209,300 tonnes on the same month the previous year. more...

German rapeseed meal exports on the decline

German rapeseed meal exports fell short of the previous year's volume. Main buyers, such as Denmark, Spain and France, imported considerably less, whereas the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland ordered more. more...

Biofuels - a sustainably safe contribution to greenhouse gas reduction in transport

The forecast on the development of greenhouse gas emissions published today by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) confirms that 9 million tonnes of CO2eq will be exceeded in the transport sector in 2022. Without biofuels, the emission ceiling stipulated in the Federal Climate Protection Act would have been exceeded by a further 11 million tonnes of CO2eq, notes UFOP. This underlines the bridging function of biofuels from sustainably certified cultivated biomass. more...

Biofuels: Sustainable land use instead of land consumption

The discussion about banning internal combustion engines is in full swing at national and European level. Closely related to this is the question of whether the technological focus should be exclusively on electric drives in order to enable sustainable and largely CO2-neutral individual transport. In addition to eFuels, whose production still needs to be developed for years, sustainable certified biofuels are a measure for decarbonising road transport that has already been introduced in the fuel market and are available in relevant quantities. more...

Open letter: EU renewable and agriculture associations: taxpayers' money is used to fund campaigns against the use of sustainable fuel

Associations representing the EU renewable energy and agriculture industries ask the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) to reconsider its support to the non-governmental organisation Transport & Environment (T&E), which has led targeted and misleading campaigns against the use of biomass and sustainable liquid biofuel. more...

2022 biodiesel consumption unchanged

A slight decline of 1 percent to 2.516 million tonnes of biodiesel (from 2.560 million tonnes in 2021) was recorded for the 2022 calendar year. By contrast, the use of bioethanol in blends increased 3 per cent from 1.153 million tonnes to 1.186 million tonnes. more...

UFOP Study: Models to Assess Indirect Land Use Change not Sufficiently Robust

Controversial debates about the impact of European biofuel policy on cultivation of agricultural commodities in other regions, i.e. indirect land use change (iLUC), have been underway since the target of 10% renewable energy in the transport sector was made legally binding in the Renewable Energy Directive. As early as 2015, Directive 2015/1513/EU, dubbed the “iLUC Directive”, introduced a 7% cap on biofuels from cultivated biomass as a political compromise, as UFOP underlines. That upper limit was initially lowered to 6.5 % in Germany and subsequently further reduced to 4.4 % in 2021. more...

UFOP publishes updated Report on Global Market Supply 2022/2023

The updated issue of the Report on Global Market Supply published by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. UFOP) once again confirms that in purely arithmetic terms food supply per capita is sufficient to feed the world's population. Nevertheless, more than 800 million people are starving or suffering under malnutrition. The report finds that the causes primarily lie in extreme natural events, inadequate state leadership, corruption and forced migration, along with the implications of climate change. more...

Minor global land requirement by biofuels

Feedstock production for biofuels buffers supply to ensure food security: In 2021, crop plants were grown on more than 1.4 billion hectares worldwide, including grain, oilseeds, protein, sugar and fibre plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts and others. Most of these crops were used directly or indirectly, via livestock feeds, for human nutrition. Only around 8 per cent of the crop area served to supply feedstock for biofuels production. more...

Fuels of the Future 2023: Using alternative fuels consistently ensures security of supply and climate change mitigation with immediate effect in the transport sector

Press Conference for the 20th International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future 2023”: Sustainable biofuels are currently essential for climate protection in transport: biofuels reduced CO2 emissions in the transport sector by around 11.1 million tonnes in 2021. That figure corresponds to the volume of greenhouse gas savings required to offset the forecast overshoot for 2022 in Germany’s Climate Protection Bill. more...

Palm oil still dominant biofuel feedstock in 2021 quota year

With 1.063 million tonnes (2020: 1.414 million tonnes), palm oil was still by far the most important vegetable oil raw material for the production of biodiesel and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in the quota year 2021 for offsetting against the GHG quota obligation. According to the evaluation report 2021 published in December 2022 by the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE), 1.318 million t of the raw materials certified under EU law (RED II) came from Asia. Among these, palm oil dominated with 0.992 million t. more...

DEUTZ approves engines for HVO biofuel

December 12, 2022 – With immediate effect, DEUTZ is approving its entire TCD engine portfolio for use with alternative diesel fuels. This means that paraffinic diesel fuels such as HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) can now be used to run all DEUTZ engines that meet the EU Stage V emissions standard, including the TCD 5.2 series. more...

BLE: 11.1 million tonnes of CO2 saved by biofuels in 2021

For the time being, sustainably certified biofuels remain the most important option for decarbonising the transport sector. This was emphasised by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) after the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) announced its evaluation of the sustainability certificates for offsetting against the GHG quota obligation. The average GHG reduction of the biofuels used of 84 % again confirmed the successful efficiency competition within the GHG quota system. more...

UFOP publishes progress report "Biodiesel & Co. 2021/2022"

The status report "Biodiesel & Co 2021/2022" published by UFOP provides an overview of the current legal framework in Germany and also takes into account national initiatives for legal changes, such as the originally feared lowering of the 4.4 % cap for biofuels from cultivated biomass. This initiative of the Federal Environment Ministry is currently off the table. However, at the end of November an intensive discussion will begin on the national biomass strategy currently presented by the German government. This strategy provides for prioritising the material use of cultivated biomass. more...

Comment: Cornerstones for a National Biomass Strategy (NABIS)

In a joint press release, the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection have announced the key points of the "Biomass Strategy" announced in the coalition agreement. more...

German biodiesel exports at a high level

Foreign trade in biodiesel is poised to increase in 2022. In the first half year, exports climbed 27 per cent and imports as much as 75 per cent. more...

More biodiesel consumed in the first half of 2022

In the first half of 2022, the use of biodiesel and hydrotreated vegetable oil for blending amounted to around 1.23 million tonnes. This translates to a 6.3 per cent rise on the same period 2021. more...

Press Release "Deutsche Bahn": Greener on the road in regional transport: DB Regio relies on biofuel

The Deutsche Bahn (DB) is gradually converting diesel locomotives to biofuel (HVO), emphasising this conversion as an immediate measure for climate protection and thus the "bridging function" of biofuels until all routes are fully electrified. The UFOP uses this example to underline the position of the "bridging function" of biofuels especially from cultivated biomass. With their cultivation and yield potential, these raw materials also serve as a "supply buffer" for the food and feed supply from domestic or European cultivation. more...

Brazilian soybean crop set to hit record level in 2023

In view of the expansion in production area and positive harvest outlooks, Brazilian exports are likely to exceed the previous year's level significantly. more...

Global rapeseed harvest to reach new record high

With Russia and Australia anticipated to see a larger harvest, global 2022/23 rapeseed production will likely hit a new record. The USDA expects world rapeseed output to rise to a new record level of 82.5 million tonnes. more...

Immediate climate protection programme highlights the dilemma of renewable energies

The UFOP welcomes the immediate measures presented yesterday by the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) to permanently reduce greenhouse gases. The immediate measures are necessary because the emissions report of the Federal Environment Agency (Umwelt Bundesamt, UBA) has shown an excess of 3 million tonnes of CO2-eq for the transport sector. more...

EU trade in oilseeds and by-products, July 2022 and 2021 compared / Sharp rise in EU imports of sunflowerseed

According to information published by the EU Commission, foreign trade in rapeseed and sunflowerseed has changed, but less so than expected. The changes were triggered by the severe curtailment of the export potential of Ukraine, the primary supplier of oilseeds, oilseed meal and especially sunflower oil. As current information shows, volumes coming from Ukraine were larger than projected. In other words, there can be no talk of a general slump in shipments. more...

Biofuels need a holistic development approach instead of a "tank/plate" discussion

The Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Quota Act is the most important driver for decarbonisation of the transport sector with the increasing GHG reduction commitments until 2030. In view of the war in Ukraine, the ambitious target of a GHG quota of 25 % in 2030 is also a driver to accelerate the orientation of energy supply security towards diverse domestic and European resources, emphasises the UFOP. more...

UFOP rejects reduction of the cap for biofuels from cultivated biomass

The Federal Environment Ministry's initiative to reduce the so-called cap on biofuels from cultivated biomass has met with incomprehension. UFOP rejects the idea. UFOP emphatically rejects any change to the existing regulation. Behind the utilisation of rapeseed oil for biodiesel is a production and processing structure that has grown over decades and is now closely networked with other branches of industry, including the food industry. more...

Foreign trade in biodiesel declines

Compared to the record levels shown in the quota year 2020, foreign trade in biodiesel declined only slightly in 2021. In both years, the export surplus was around 1 million tonnes. According to the UFOP, increases in exports were not to be expected in 2020, because the cap on greenhouse gas emission was raised from 4 per cent to 6 per cent that obligation year and the transfer of quotas from previous years was not possible. more...

Biofuel Associations: DUH Denies the Positive Climate Record of Sustainable Biofuels

The German biofuel associations UFOP and German Bioethanol Industry Association (BDBe) consider that the paper on “agrofuels” published today by Environmental Action Germany (DUH) adopts a completely erroneous position in questioning sustainable biofuels’ officially certified contribution to climate change mitigation. more...

UFOP publishes fifth Report on Global Market Supply: Move "Farm to Fork" strategy towards sustainable intensification instead of extensificatio

The implementation of the EU Commission's "Farm to Fork" strategy will lead to an extensification across the board, an increase in import demand and shift effects in the global flow of goods. The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) has highlighted these concerns on the occasion of publishing the fifth updated edition of its Report on Global Market Supply. more...

UFOP published JFRG Band 32 - Position paper biofuel research

Drive climate protection forward now with sustainable and greenhouse gas-optimised biofuels and at the same time raise their potential through strategic research funding; this is, in brief, the message of the position paper published by the UFOP. Biofuels are the only alternative so far for replacing fossil fuels in existing vehicle fleets. The UFOP underlines the statement of climate scientists that time is running out and that political action must therefore be geared to this. more...

Only 7 percent of global crops is used for biofuels production

In 2020, 1.4 milliards ha of crops such as grain, oilseeds, protein, sugar and fibre plants, fruits, vegetables, nuts and others were grown worldwide. Most of this produce is used as food. Only around 7 per cent go into biofuels production. more...

New list: These commercial vehicles are allowed to fill up with biodiesel

A new list shows the trucks, buses, engines, and other commercial vehicles that have been approved by the manufacturers to run on higher blends of biodiesel. They can be fuelled with a proportion of 10 percent (B10), 20 percent (B20), 30 percent (B30) or pure biodiesel (B100). more...

Proportion of bio-components in diesel at a record high in 2020

At around 3.45 million tonnes, the quantity of biofuel added to diesel in quota year 2020 was approximately 1 million tonnes higher than the previous record value from 2019. For the UFOP, this outcome makes it clear that the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction obligation, increased on 1 January 2022 to 7% and rising to 25% by 2030, is achievable. more...

UFOP Chairman welcomes coalition's ambition on climate protection and calls for inclusion of biofuels

The Chairman of the UFOP, Detlef Kurreck, welcomes the aim of the new government coalition to protect the climate. Detlef Kurreck welcomes the goal of the new government coalition to place climate protection at the centre of government action. However, in order to tackle the major challenges, especially in the transport sector, a technology-open approach is necessary, which also includes the further development of the combustion engine using sustainably produced biofuels. This would also strengthen the domestic protein supply. more...

Policy Information Biofuels

What does the German public think about biofuels? With a view to answering that question, we commissioned the market research institute KANTAR to collect and evaluate opinions on biodiesel, bioethanol and biomethane. The results are clear: the vast majority not only likes biofuels, but would even favour incorporating higher levels into blends than is currently the case. At the same time, the respondents found it important that these biofuels are sustainable. Download

UFOP published Status Report

Biofuel policy at national and European level is becoming increasingly complex, as a result of rising demands also on the quality of the sustainability requirements to be demonstrated. more...

German biodiesel exports remain above average

Foreign trade in biodiesel is poised to decline in 2021. In the first half year, exports already plummeted 18 per cent and imports as much as 43 per cent. The supply and demand balance shows an export surplus of 503,460 tonnes, which is up 31 per cent year-on-year. Whereas exports exceeded the long-term average of 923,200 tonnes, imports dropped below the average level of 559,000 tonnes. more...

Less biodiesel consumed in the first half of 2021

The amount of diesel fuel consumed by road traffic was lower in the first half of the year 2021 than it was in the 2020 reference period. Accordingly, the use of biodiesel dropped by one fifth. On average, biodiesel was blended in at 7.1 per cent, which compares to 8.1 per cent in the year-earlier period. more...

DEUTZ updates Technical Circular for fuels and biofuels

Berlin, 31 August 2021 - Deutz AG has updated the Technical Circular for the use of diesel or biodiesel in DEUTZ engines. On 36 pages, comprehensive information is provided on all conditions to be observed for the use of diesel fuel (B7), B20 / B30 and biodiesel as pure fuel (B100). more...

German Bioenergy Association (BBE) on the revamped 2022 Climate, Energy and Environmental State Aid Guidelines

Commenting on the current revision of the EU’s Climate, Energy and Environmental State Aid Guidelines, Udo Hemmerling, German Bioenergy Association (BBE) Board Member noted, “With the Green Deal, the European Climate Law and the ‘Fit for 55’ package, the EU is not only setting the framework for climate change mitigation in Europe but is also setting the pace for ambitious climate protection in industrialised countries around the globe. The draft for the new Climate, Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines (CEEAG) will provide EU Member States with important guidance when it comes to expanding measures for renewable energies and climate protection. more...

UFOP emphasises the role model function of sustainability certification for biofuels

Berlin, 7 July 2021. - The European Commission has announced the launch of the “Fit for 55” package on 14th July 2021. This will also include proposals for a new amendment to the Renewable Energy Directive 2018/2001/EC (RED II). Overall, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) welcomes the initiative to implement the Green Deal. In a current position paper, the association emphasises the exemplary function of sustainability certification for biofuels and addresses demands on politics. more...

Bundestag clears the way for more climate protection in transport

Berlin, 21.05.2021. The UFOP welcomes the German Bundestag's decision to increase the greenhouse gas reduction obligation for fuels. The law provides for an even increase from 6% today to 7% in 2022 and to 25% in 2030. more...

UFOP publishes the 4th report on global market supply

Biofuels from cultivated biomass are an important mobilisation reserve for the global food supply. So emphasised Detlef Kurreck, Chairman of UFOP, during the presentation of the UFOP report on global market supply, pointing to the bridging function of cultivated biomass biofuels. These fuels are a currently and globally available contribution to the decarbonisation of the transport sector. This is precisely why the European Union must live up to its oft-emphasised role as pioneer. For this, the sustainability standards to be complied with throughout the entire commodity chain would have to be further developed in an appropriate manner. more...

CO2 emissions declined only in a few countries

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP) has emphasised that the European Union is set to live up to its leadership role in protecting the climate and must therefore push on climate protection on an international scale. The EU's CO2 emissions declined 25 per cent compared to 1990. more...

Advancing the greenhouse gas reduction commitment more boldly

Berlin, 01 February 2021. Brazil and Argentina are set to maintain their shares in the global soybean market this crop year. Whereas Argentina is expected to harvest slightly fewer soybeans, Brazil is anticipated to bring in a larger crop. more...

Austria ends crediting of biofuels from palm oil as of 01 July 2021

Berlin, 26 January 2021: The accounting of biofuels with a high risk of indirect land use change (iLUC) will end in Austria on 1 July 2021. This exclusion is provided for in the amended legal provision of the Fuel Ordinance of 25 January 2021. The Austrian Federal Government is thus making early use of the authorisation in Delegated Regulation (EU)2019/807 under the Renewable Energy Directive (2018/ 2019), RED II. more...

UFOP welcomes agreement between federal ministries on the further development of the GHG quota

Somewhat surprisingly, after long, controversial negotiations, the German government agreed last Friday on key points for the national implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). more...

Germans Want More Biofuels in their Vehicles

Two thirds of Germans have a positive attitude towards biofuels, as shown by a recent representative survey. Almost half consider biofuels will be increasingly important for future climate change mitigation. Industry associations call for policies that adequately reflect these findings. more...

Storage capacity of diesel fuel with 10% biodiesel (FAME)

When up to 10% fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) is added to diesel fuel, operational reliability is maintained even if the fuel is stored in the vehicle tank for a period of 9 months. This requires a suitable additive to stabilise the fuel mixture. more...

18th International Conference on Renewable Mobility "Fuels of the Future" from 18th to 22nd January 2021 in Berlin

The 18th International Conference for Renewable Mobility "Fuels of the Future" will take place again from 18th to 22nd January 2021. The conference will be held as a digital event. more...

UFOP progress report "Biodiesel & Co. 2019/2020" published

Berlin, 6 October 2020: The progress report provides information on national and international biofuel policy issues relevant to the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) in the reporting period. The almost 40-page report is supplemented by comprehensive statistics on national and international biodiesel production, on the current biofuel quota regulations enshrined in law in the member states and by the publication of excerpts from the statistics from the experience and evaluation report of the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE). All sources are linked to further information. Download

UFOP estimates biodiesel sales in 2020 at 2.6 million tonnes

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) estimates the consumption of biodiesel at approx. 2.6 million t for 2020, compared to 2019, this would mean an increase of approx. 0.3 million t. more...

Biofuels are essential for fulfilling the climate protection targets in the commitment period 2021 to 2030

The German Federal Government’s six month presidency of the Council of the European Union began on 1 July 2020. As a goal of its agenda, the Federal Government stated that it wishes to “work towards climate-friendly, sustainable and affordable mobility”. The biofuel associations welcome this objective and point out that openness to technological ideas and the sustainably available potential of biofuels need to be considered in order to fulfil national climate protection targets. more...

EU Commission’s Farm-to-Fork strategy: UFOP misses economically sustainable perspective

Berlin, 20 May 2020. “This is not what perspective and collaboration look like.” This is how UFOP (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen) summarises its criticism of the “Farm-to-Fork Strategy” presented today by the European Commission. Strategies focus on goals which shall be achieved collectively. more...

Corona crisis – Agricultural trade at its limits

Berlin, 07 April 2020. The issue of secure market supply is currently a topic of direct concern to consumers. The occasional sight of empty shelves is unfamiliar; hoarding is proof of just how quickly households in an affluent society focus on securing their own needs. more...

Green Deal – develop and implement strategies in dialogue!

Berlin, 10 March 2020: European agriculture is not only the economic sector that is most directly affected by climate change, but can also make a tangible contribution to climate protection in the near future. This is emphasised by the Chairmen of the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP), Wolfgang Vogel, and of the French Oil and Protein Plants Association (FOP), Arnaud Rousseau, with reference to the proposals for the climate law. more...

EU climate law falls short of expectations

Berlin, 06 March 2020. The climate law presented on March 4 by the EU Com-mission did not meet the expectations of the ambitious climate protection pol-icy that had been previously announced. In order to meet the 2050 goal of zero net emissions, the requirements for reaching the climate protection target of 55% in 2030 need to be achieved in the commitment period between 2021 and 2030. more...

German biodiesel exports hit record level

German foreign trade in biodiesel was very brisk last year. The total volume of 3.7 million tonnes exceeded the previous year's level by nearly 20 per cent. more...

Biodiesel from rapeseed oil as an integral component of pioneering diesel fuels - project results confirm development potential of RME

In this project, co-funded by UFOP, the University of Applied Sciences Coburg has investigated future regenerative fuels with regard to their miscibility and ageing behaviour in order to be able to make better predictions about the miscibility of fuels. Based on solubility parameters and a developed algorithm, the miscibility of RME, OME as an option of a renewable synthetic fuel and HVO was derived theoretically and verified experimentally. Download

Report on global market Supply: Sustainable Intensification of arable Production for Food Security and Climate Protection

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) would like to take the publication of the fourth edition of the Report on Global Market Supply as an occasion to indicate the particular importance of agriculture in the production of sustainable foodstuffs and renewable raw materials. Climate change dictates more productivity and efficiency while taking the requirements of sustainable production into account at the same time. Biofuels from cultivated biomass play a leading role when these are being produced according to the legal specifications of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), emphasises the UFOP. more...

UFOP welcomes punitive tariffs on biodiesel imports from Indonesia

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) sees the decision taken with a vast majority by the European Commission's responsible committee on trade defence measures last week to charge imports of biodiesel from Indonesia with a punitive tariff between 8 and 18 percent as a success for fair competition. The committee thus answered to a complaint of the European Biodiesel Federation EBB. The UFOP points out that this does not restrict the import of palm oil for the production of fuels in the European Union. more...

Germany: key elements of the climate action program 2030

On 20 September, the Federal Cabinet adopted the sector-specific packages of measures to implement the Climate Protection Action Plan 2030. more...

UFOP-"Biodiesel" Assessment Report 2018/19 published

The status report explains the relevant topics of the UFOP annual report on national and international biofuel policy, on biofuel accompanying research for UFOP-funded projects, and on biofuel statistics. The report gives a comprehensive overview about the state of the art on national and European biofuel policy. The main topics are the implementation and consequences of the Renewable Energies Directive (2018/2001/EC) and in particular the national framework conditions resulting from the Climate Protection Act. Download

Mineral oil groups ramp up HVO production in the EU

Production of hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) in the European Union has picked up pace since 2012. Mineral oil groups, such as Neste, Eni and Total, were the main entities promoting the creation of corresponding capacities. From the perspective of the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP), the key reason for the development is that the iLUC Regulation introduced in 2015 permits that biofuels from waste oils and fats can be counted double. At the same time, pressure on prices has increased in the international vegetable oil markets. more...

Large harvests and implications of US-China trade dispute force down prices

Prices of soybeans are on a downward slide all across the globe. The reason is both large harvests in Argentina and Brazil and the trade dispute between the US and China. The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) has voiced concerns that this trend will also affect the current protein plant strategy efforts in Germany and Europe. more...

Crop-based Biofuels with an important bridging function

In a letter to the members of the European Parliament, Wolfgang Vogel, President of the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP), emphasised the special importance of rape cultivation in the European Union. As a flowering plant, rapeseed is by far the most important raw material for the production of biofuels as well as for the delivery of GM-free feed protein. The reason for the letter is the presentation of the third UFOP report on global market supply. In particular, the Chairman emphasised the bridging function of sustainable certified rapeseed with its tangible contribution to meet climate protection targets and relieve the burden on national budgets. more...

Oilseed producers demand rejection of delegate legislation to regulate low and high iLUC-risk biofuels by EU Parliament

On 8 February 2019, the European Commission presented a draft delegated act regulating biofuel feedstocks with a high or low risk of triggering indirect land-use changes (iLUC). The proposal results from the trilogue negotiations on the reform of the Renewable Energies Directive (RED II) in June 2018. Due to the numerous exceptions contained in the draft, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) and the Fédération française des Producteurs d'Oléagineux et de Protéagineux (FOP) consider the draft to be unacceptable as it stands and call on the EU Parliament to reject the delegated act within the objection period before the end of the actual parliaments legislature. more...

UFOP fears legalisation of loopholes for palm oil imports

The draft of a delegated act regulating biofuels from cultivated biomass with a low or high risk of indirect land use (iLUC) presented last week by the European Commission is met with disapproval. The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) fears that already occurred but also future deforestation will be legalized, in particular due to the special treatment for small plantations. The Union therefore calls on its members and other interested parties to participate in the consultation process of the EU Commission. more...

Argentina and the EU settle dispute over biodiesel imports

According to the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP), European oilseed producers are the losers due to the decision of the representatives of the EU Member States in the Trade Defence Instruments Committee (TDI) of 30th January 2019. The association criticises the Committee's approval of the Argentine Government's proposal for a so-called "price undertaking” agreement, which will allow Argentina's biodiesel producers to export around 1.2 million tonnes of biodiesel duty-free to the EU every year. more...

Fuels of the Future 2019: Renewable mobility amidst the conflicting priorities of climate protection, economic viability and user acceptance

Speakers from the German Bioenergy Association, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure, the international mineral oil industry, the German automotive industry and the scientific community presented their concepts, strategies and research results for renewable mobility in the future to over 550 conference participants at the launch of the conference on 21st January 2019 in CityCube Berlin. more...

Fuels of the Future 2019: Experts call for immediately effective and technology-open climate protection measures in the transport sector

The recast European Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) will be the focus of discussion at the international conference on renewable mobility. The directive stipulates that the minimum share of renewables in the transport sector energy mix should increase from ten per cent in 2020 to 14 per cent in 2030. more...

Promoting citizen-orientated climate protection in transport

On the occasion of the new edition of the brochure "Good Reasons for Biofuels", the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) determines that the importance of biofuels as a tool for decarbonising the transport sector is increasing worldwide. The most well-known example is Brazil, with a steadily growing production of bioethanol and also of biodiesel. In the European Union, biofuel policy has evolved from a control instrument for agricultural surpluses in the early 1990s to a measure embedded in European and national energy and climate protection policies. more...

Combining economically viable agriculture with appropriate agricultural market and climate protection policies

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Crops (UFOP) has formulated its policy expectations on the occasion of the presentation of the third edition of the Global Market Supply Report. The association refers to the generally good global supply situation for the most important agricultural commodities. The caloric needs of the world's population are more than covered in cereals, sugar and oil crops. The updated report also takes into account the raw material requirements for biofuel production and material utilisation as a renewable raw material. more...

EU Commission begins anti-subsidy process against Indonesia

UFOP demands the expedited introduction of preliminary counter measures – customs duties on biodiesel imports should not be circumvented via palm oil imports. more...

Mobility amidst the conflicting priorities of climate protection, profitability and user acceptance

The transport sector must make a considerable and much more vigorous contribution to decarbonisation in order to achieve the Federal Government’s climate protection goals for 2030. Alongside established and novel biofuels, electromobility and other alternative fuels also play a major role. more...

Fossil and Biofuel Research Safeguards Sales Markets

Biodiesel and bioethanol are by far the most important alternative sustainable fuels in Germany and the European Union, not only today, but also in the years ahead. In Germany alone, they contributed about 7.7 million t CO2 equivalent towards greenhouse gas reduction in 2017. more...

European Parliament confirms less ambitious protection targets at the expense of EU agriculture

The European Parliament has formally approved the results of the trilogue on the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive. The German Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP - Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants) reiterates its critical position of the decision, which the EU Council of Ministers will also shortly be following. Climate protection in the transport sector and European agriculture will be the ultimate losers, it reports. more...

Commission fails to defend its agriculture in anti-dumping file against Argentinian biodiesel

Last year, the European Commission abruptly ended anti-dumping duties on Argentinian imports of biodiesel made from soy. This was immediately followed by a complaint by the European Biodiesel Bureau, aiming to introduce a countervailing duty that would offset subsidies given by the Argentinian State to its exporting biodiesel industry. more...

Position paper – Advanced alternative liquid fuels: For climate protection in the global raw materials change

This position paper is intended to appeal to decision-makers in politics, business and science. With regard to climate protection goals, the paper aims at showing technological ways to achieve the full integration of the transport and heating sectors into the energy transition by 2050 in a realistic, sustainable and economically justifiable manner. The objective is to illustrate why advanced liquid alternative fuels will play a key role. Recommendations for action should help to meet the challenges of the required radical change from fossil fuels to sustainable resources. more...

Operating performance of a tractor engine of emissions standard EU IV in biodiesel operation

Agriculture is particularly affected by climate change but is also required to make as much of a contribution to climate protection as possible. Approximately 1.6 million tonnes of diesel fuel is used in agriculture each year. This means that the optimum reduction of fuel consumption has been achieved. Fuel consumption tends to increase as updated crop protection product authorisations preclude reduced tillage and increasingly, weeds must be controlled mechanically. more...

Approval list of commercial vehicle manufacturers for operation with biodiesel (B20 | B30 | B100)

Even today, a large number of commercial vehicle engine manufacturers are prepared to create the technical conditions for using biodiesel by releasing their engines for B20, B30 (acc. EN 16709) or B100 (acc. EN 14214). The current approval list of commercial vehicle manufacturers gives you an overview of approved commercial vehicles and engines as well as the compliance with emission standards. more...

Rapeseed needs the biodiesel market - Vogel: Dumping imports are jeopardising European rapeseed cultivation

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e. V. (UFOP) views the prospects of European rapeseed cultivation as being acutely jeopardised. “The dumping imports from Argentina and Indonesia are becoming a question of survival for European rapeseed producers”, said the Chairman of UFOP, Wolfgang Vogel. The shutdowns and production cutbacks carried out by European biodiesel producers will continue to increase the pressure on the volume and pricing on the market for rapeseed oil and rapeseed. more...

EU biofuel policy requires reliable framework conditions

The trialogue procedure for redrafting the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) began in late February 2018. Against this backdrop, the German Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP - Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants) and the Fédération française des Producteurs d’Oléagineux et de Protéagineux (FOP - French Federation of Growers of Oilseed and Protein Plants) appeal to the negotiating partners to find an appropriate compromise that protects existing investments and at the same time also encourages investment into the biofuel sector in future. more...

New edition of the UFOP brochure "Good Reasons for Biofuels"

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) has updated and reissued its consumer information "Good Reasons for Biofuels". The brochure provides the most important aspects on 24 pages justifying the need to continue promoting biofuels. These concern the desolate market situation in oilseeds and cereals, the importance of biofuels for agriculture, rapeseed as a supplier of GM-free protein feed, the current importance of sustainable biofuels in energy supply compared to other renewable energies, and the question of the use of biofuels in agriculture and forestry as a contribution to greenhouse gas reduction. more...

Greenhouse gas emissions in rapeseed cultivation need to be assessed realistically for optimal mitigation

A network of eight partners, coordinated by the Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture (Thünen-Institut für Agrarklimaschutz, hereafter TI), investigated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the cultivation of rapeseed. The aim was to find out whether the emissions in the framework of climate protection agreements are estimated realistically for Germany. more...

International Conference on Renewable Mobility: Immediately making use of all available options to reach climate change objectives in transportation

The biofuel industry regrets the position adopted by the European Parliament concerning the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive. At the International Conference on Renewable Mobility, the industry criticises the Parliament's intent to reduce sales of biofuels from crop biomass. more...

European Parliament Votes to Begin With-drawal from Conventional Biofuels

The European Parliament has established its position for the forthcoming trilogue procedure on recast of the Renewable Energies Directive. It envisages that the share of renewable energies in the transport sector should increase to at least 12 percent by 2030, with 10 percent provided by biofuels from waste and residues. more...

Statutory GHG reduction requirement for biofuels increases to 50 percent

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. - UFOP) would like to remind that the increased greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirement for biofuels took effect on 1st January 2018 in accordance with the so-called "iLUC Directive" from 2015. more...

Charts UFOP Report on Global Market Supply 2017/2018

European and world demand for biomass for the purpose of biofuel production in relation to supply in the food and feedstuff markets more...

Updated UFOP Report on Global Market Supply Published

Strong global harvest yields mean that supply on international markets is more than sufficient. The figures indicate that there is enough to meet worldwide demand, as the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants, UFOP) notes in its updated report on global market supply, pointing out nonetheless that many parts of the world suffer from severe food shortages. more...

Trade in Biofuels Worldwide – Overview and Outlook

15th International Conference on Renewable Mobility from 22nd to 23rd January in Berlin – Early Bird Registration ends 30th November 2017. more...

Biodiesel 2016/2017 - Report on Progress and Future Prospects

The assessment report provides information on the most important aspects of the national and European biofuel policy and the biodiesel markets. It is an excerpt from the UFOP business report 2016/2017 and includes the chapters “Biodiesel and Co.”, the report of the UFOP expert commission “Biofuels and Renewable Resources” as well as current national and European biofuel statistics. more...

DEUTZ approves engines for the use of alternative fuels

DEUTZ has approved the latest generation of its entire TCD engine range for operation with alternative fuels. This will make a further significant reduction to the carbon footprint of combustion engines and even raises the prospect of running such engines on a carbon-neutral basis. more...

Biodiesel research against the backdrop of more stringent emissions legislation and fuel chemistry requirements

The 15th International Congress for Renewable Energy, which will be held in Berlin from 22nd – 23rd January 2018, once again offers the international biodiesel and biofuel industry a platform to meet with experts from the world of science for discussions on current research outcomes and new topics shaping biodiesel’s prospects. more...

Germany - for the first time, more waste oil biodiesel than rapeseed oil biodiesel is consumed

In the quota year 2016, the total consumption of biodiesel made from waste oils (0.87 Mio. tons) exceeded the consumption of biodiesel made from rapeseed oil by around 0.87 million tonnes for the first time. more...

EP Committee on Environment denies prospects for domestic biofuels

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) expresses its disappointment in the result of the vote in the European Parliament's Committee on Environment on Monday this week concerning the reform of the biofuel policy for the period from 2020 to 2030 (RED II). more...

Vegetable oil as a fuel in the agriculture

In the agriculture the widening of the application of vegetable oil as a fuel in tractors could be a contribution to more sustainability. more...

15th International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future 2018"

The programme of the 15th International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future” is now available for you at www.fuels-of-the-future.com. On behalf of German Bioenergy Association (BBE) we would like to cordially invite you to join us at CityCube Berlin on 22–23 January 2018. more...

French and German oilseed farmers ask European Commission to protect EU biodiesel market

On 7th September member state representatives narrowly approved the proposal by the EU Commission to reduce by September 28 the customs duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina. The French union of oilseeds and proteins crops producers (FOP) and the German association for the promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) don’t understand this decision and ask for the EU Commission quickly protect EU market from Argentinian distorting practices. more...

EU-28 biodiesel imports likely to in-crease significantly

Following the EU decision to lower import duties on Argentinian biodiesel, imports into the EU-28 are likely to rise sharply, producing considerable shifts in the market. more...

Biodiesel share declined despite record diesel consumption and raised quota on GHG emission

Consumption of road traffic diesel and petrol in the first half year of 2017 was higher than in the 2016 reference period. At the same time, the use of biodiesel declined, although the higher quota on greenhouse gas (GHG) emission has been in force since January 2017. Bioethanol remained almost at the year-ago level. more...

Biodiesel exports saw a slight increase

In the first six months of 2017, German biodiesel exports slightly exceeded the previous year's figures. More specifically, Denmark and Great Britain purchased more biodiesel from German production. By contrast, demand from the US slumped. more...

USDA revised rapeseed harvest estimate for 2017/18 upward

Despite adverse weather conditions in parts of the EU-28, the USDA raised its harvest estimate for the Community. Accordingly, the European Union is set to remain the world's top rapeseed producer in 2017/18. more...

EU sunflower crop smaller than expected

The EU Commission lowered its forecast for EU-28 sunflower output in 2017 from the previous month. Above all, Southeast European yields were forecast down. more...

Biodiesel sales stagnate in spite of higher GHG quota

In spite of the increase in the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirement from 3.5 to 4.0 percent introduced at the beginning of the year and the further increase in diesel consumption to almost 15 million tonnes (prior year: 14.15 million tonnes), biodiesel consumption has fallen once again from 0.912 million tonnes to 0.848 million tonnes. more...

Conducting food/fuel debate based on facts

UFOP report confirms very good supply situation to the international raw material markets more...

Charts supply report 2016/2017

European and world demand for biomass for the purpose of biofuel production in relation to supply in the food and feedstuff markets more...

Rapeseed imports from Australia expected to decline

In 2016/17, Australia was the second largest supplier of rapeseed to Germany after France. This situation is unlikely to repeat itself in the coming year because the current drought will probably cut the Australian rapeseed harvest and reduce exports volumes. more...

Germany's most beautiful oil fields – Resource and climate protection in transport

When rapeseed blossoms in springtime, millions of bees and the wind together provide the foundation for rapeseed oil production, with the rapeseed grains from the pods being pressed in oil mills. This is how rapeseed oil and rapeseed meal is produced. more...

Biofuels - 73% average greenhouse gas saving in 2016

In its current evaluation of the sustainability certificates for the year 2016, the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung: BLE) confirms increasing greenhouse gas efficiency in biofuels in Germany. The average GHG reduction compared to fossil fuels is 73 percent. There was an improvement in GHG reductions for all biofuel types compared to the year 2015. more...

201705_COPA-COGECA Positionpaper REDII – Strengthening the role of agricultural and forest biomass in all bioenergy sectors to achieve the EU’s 2030 climate and energy goals

The proposal for a recast of the directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (proposal for a RED II Directive) is in contradiction with the EU’s objectives concerning the protection of the climate, energy security, and the promotion of a low-carbon and circular economy. Indeed, the Commission proposes to abandon the target to promote renewable energy sources in the transport sector, to reduce or scrap the use of conventional biofuels, to consider waste-based fossil fuels as renewable fuels, to restrict priority access, transmission and distribution of electricity produced from more...

POSITION OF THE EUROPEAN OILSEED ALLIANCE (EOA) ON THE RENEWABLE ENERGY DIRECTIVE PROPOSAL (RED II)

The EU Commission proposal of 30th November 2016 to revise the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) foresees: ▪ The deletion of the 10% target for renewables in transport; ▪ Its replacement with a new target of 6.8% exclusively directed to low-emission and advanced biofuels in 2030 – the crop-based biofuels from the 1st generation not being accounted for in this target; ▪ A phasing down of crop-based biofuels through a digressive more...

Rapeseed the Power Plant

Over 1.3 million hectares of rapeseed oil fields are blossoming in Germany at the moment. The plants store the sun’s energy in the seeds and in the rapeseed oil derived from these seeds. Its energy density is comparable to that of diesel fuel. As a result, rapeseed oil and the rapeseed methyl ester produced from it, better known as biodiesel, is by far the most important fuel alternative certified as sustainable in Germany and Europe. more...

E-mobility - alternative fuels and their development for use in plug-in hybrid vehicles

The cars of the future will also be powered by electricity. Even today, the proportion of hybrid vehicles, which have an electric motor and a combustion engine, is increasing (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles, PHEV). This affects refuelling habits, since the hybrid drive causes the effective fuel consumption to fall meaning fuel remains in the tank longer than before. more...

UFOP welcomes vote to exclude palm oil for biofuel use

The European Parliament has approved the initiative report on the subject “Palm oil and the uprooting of rainforests” with an overwhelming majority. The European Parliament supports the move to exclude palm oil as a raw material for energetic use from 2020, at the same time acknowledging the sustainability of biofuels made from oil plants (rapeseed and sunflower) grown within Europe. more...

Position of the German biofuel value chain on the European Commission's proposal for a recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II)

Today, biofuels contribute 5 per cent of the energy consumed in the transport sector (2015: 31.6 billion Kilowatt hours). This prevents 6.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually. Today, biofuels are the most important renewable energy source in transport; the contribution of renewable electricity is around one ninth of the contribution of biofuels (3.7 billion KWh annually). In 2015, 2.1 million tonnes of biodiesel, 1.2 million tonnes of bioethanol, 50 million cubic metres of biomethane as well as 2,000 tonnes of plant oil were used as biofuels. more...

Managing board of UFOP pleads for a uniform rapeseed invoicing system

In answer to the on-going discussions, the Board of the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) deems it necessary to state its position on the basis for rapeseed payment terms. more...

French and German oilseed farmers urge for maintenance of mandatory first generation biofuels objectives in the renewable energy directive after 2020

At the invitation of the Union for the promotion of oil and protein plants (UFOP), representatives of the French federation of the producers of oilseeds and proteins crops (FOP) under the leadership of its Vice chairman, Arnaud Rousseau and representatives of the UFOP under the leadership of chairman Wolfgang Vogel spoke on January 25, 2017 in Berlin about the crop situation and sectorial issues. more...

Evaluation and Progress Report 2015

On 5 June 2009, Directive 2009/28/EG of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of electricity from renewable sources (Renewable Energies Directive) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union. It is part of the EU climate and energy package adopted by the Council on 6 April 2009. This package consists of binding legislation to ensure that the EU achieve its climate and energy goals by 2020... more...

Rapeseed: A Versatile Crop

It seems as if more and more rapeseed is cultivated, but impressions are deceptive. The acreage used for the cultivation of rapeseed for years has not went beyond 1.3 to 1.5 million hectares. Rapeseed is especially known for its oil which makes up to about 42 percent of the seeds. But it is also made of high-value protein which is won during the pressing of the seeds. The so-called rape cake or rapeseed meal is a demanded GMO-free demestic protein feed. more...

Good Reasons For Biofuels

Human-caused climate change is a natural disaster which measured by geological standards is already occurring at a rapid pace and is already visible and noticeable. Agriculture is immediately affected by these changes. It is also part of the solution and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The Climate Action Plan 2020 and Climate Plan 2050 show the challenges of adapting to the decarbonisation of road transport. more...

Biofuels study “Implications of political decisions on biofuels and raw materials markets”

Climate change, related environmental disasters and the results of the climate negotiations in Paris have increased concern, public awareness and the pressure to act with regard to climate protection measures. Renewable energies play a key role in this. Almost without exception, renewable energies markets today are characterised by complex regulatory and funding policy framework conditions. more...

Yellow fields instead of burning forests

UFOP calls for an end to the quota assessment of biofuels made from palm oil in the EU. There must be an end in the EU that biofuels made from palm oil are accounted for quota commitments! The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) is calling for this at the beginning of the discussion on the EU Commission’s proposals to reform the biofuel policy. more...

EU biofuels policy – UFOP in favour of maintaining 7% cap

“The 7% cap for biofuels made from cultivated biomass, first established in 2015, must be maintained beyond 2020.” With this position, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) rejects the proposal made today by the EU Commission to reform the biofuels policy for the period between 2020 and 2030. more...

European farmers stress the essential role of biodiesel for agriculture and transport decarbonisation post-2020

The European Oilseed Alliance, the European Biodiesel Board and the Vegetable Oil and Protein meal Industry held yesterday a dinner-debate in the European Parliament during which panellists from all backgrounds discussed the role of sustainable biodiesel in the low-carbon economy post-2020. more...

Biodiesel 2015/2016 Report on the Current Situation and Prospects – Abstract from the UFOP Annual Report

The extract gives an overview about the development of the Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels in Germany. more...

UFOP welcomes German Bundestag’s decision to ratify Paris climate protection agreement

Special role of agriculture legally grounded as a producer of food and raw material - bioeconomy is an important part of the solution. The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) notes that Germany, as one of the leading industrial nations within the community of states, is making a pioneering move with the decision of the German Bundestag to ratify the Paris climate protection agreement. more...

IEA Bioenergy Countries Report

The IEA Bioenergy Countries Report was prepared from IEA statistical data, information from IRENA, and IEA Bioenergy Tasks’ country reports, combined with data provided by the IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee. All individual country reports were reviewed by the national delegates to the IEA Bioenergy Executive Committee, who have approved the content. more...

French and German oilseed farmers urge for turnaround in plant protection policy

At the invitation of Fédération française des producteurs d'oléagineux et de protéagineux (FOP), representatives of FOP under the leadership of its Vice chairman, Arnaud Rousseau and representatives of the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) under the leadership of chairman Wolfgang Vogel spoke on September 7th in Paris about the harvest situation and sectorial issues. more...

Court of Auditors calls for EU commission to improve sustainability certification process for biofuels

In the report published last week, The European Court of Auditors observed considerable room for improvement in the monitoring of the voluntary certification systems approved by the EU Commission. In its evaluation, the Court criticises the fact that the EU Commission only approves the certification systems on the basis of a “file inspection”, but does not monitor them in terms of their actual function. Since the EU Commission has also approved the systems without checking whether they include complaints procedures, there is also no formal procedure for investigating any infringements. more...

Requirements rise for qualified certification of biofuel greenhouse gas balances

With the introduction of the obligation to reduce greenhouse gases on 1st January 2015, companies in the mineral oil sector which are obligated to provide evidence of this will request the most cost-efficient and, in particular, greenhouse gas-efficient biofuels. more...

Certifying biofuels: weaknesses in recognition and supervision of the system, say EU Auditors

Weaknesses in the system of certifying sustainable biofuels could undermine the basis of the EU’s 2020 targets for renewable energy in transport, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors. Under the Renewable Energy Directive, EU Member States can only use biofuels certified as sustainable to reach their 2020 target of sourcing ten per cent of the energy in transport from renewable sources. Most biofuels placed on the EU market are certified through voluntary schemes recognised by the European Commission. But the auditors concluded that the schemes suffer from weaknesses in the Commission’s recognition procedure and in its supervision. “The 2020 targets for sustainable more...

14th international conference “Fuels of the Future 2017”

The 14th International Conference on Renewable Mobility “Fuels of the Future 2017” will be held on 23-24 January 2017, again in Berlin. The conference is organised by... more...

UFOP Chairman Vogel: continue promoting biofuels after 2020 on the basis of an EU-wide obligation to reduce greenhouse gases

In a letter to the members of the responsible committees of the European Parliament, the Chairman of the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP), Wolfgang Vogel, argues the case for continuing to promote biofuels after 2020, including the biofuels that have already been introduced onto the market. more...

Study: Integrated Fuels and Vehicles Roadmap to 2030+

In October 2014, the European Heads of States communiqué agreed on the 2030 Climate and Energy Policy Framework. This framework set binding targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and non-binding targets for renewable energy consumption and improvements in energy efficiency. The overall GHG emissions reduction target of -40% (-43% for ETS sector and -30% for non ETS sector) in 2030 below 2005 levels was in line with both the ambition to reduce GHG emissions in the European Union (EU) by 80-95% below 1990 levels by 2050 and the vision of the EU White Paper on Transport. more...

Evaluation and Progress Report 2014

The Federal Office of Agriculture and Food (BLE) is the competent authority for the control of the biofuel chain concerning the transposition of the legal requirements of the RED (2009/28/EC) in Germany. Annualy the BLE has to report about the progress of the implementation. Especially the economic operators are obliged to deliver distinct data of the biofuels which are credited against the quota commitments. more...

69 percent of Germans rate biofuels as positive

According to a recent Infratest survey, more than two thirds of all Germans are in fa-vour of biofuels. Even many sceptics would refuel using biofuels if they were guaran-teed sustainability. more...

Obligation to reduce greenhouse gases reduces biodiesel sales

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) sees its expectations regarding the obligation to reduce greenhouse gases, which was introduced in Germany on 1 January 2015, confirmed though the sales trend for biodiesel. more...

Biofuels are back on the EU agenda

Biofuels are returning to the political agenda in Europe as EU policymakers start to shape a strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from transport after 2020. Photo: Phil&Pam Gradwell more...

Introducing a greenhouse gas reduction obligation for fuels throughout Europe and achieving continuous increases of the quota in Germany until 2020

During the international conference “Fuels of the Future”, the German biofuel industry promotes the introduction of a European-wide GHG reduction obligation for fuels and calls for enhanced climate protection on the basis of continuous increases of the existing GHG reduction quota in Germany until 2020 more...

Biodiesel 2014/2015 Report on the Current Situation and Prospects – Abstract from the UFOP Annual Report

The extract gives an overview of the development of Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels in Germany (e.g. Green-House-Gas Reduction Commitment, Climate Action Plan 2020 and 2050) and within the European Union (e.g. the "iLUC-directive and consequeneces"). more...

Biodiesel sales 2014 – Rapeseed oil most important raw material source

With 1.4 million tons, certified rapeseed oil continues to be the most important raw material source for the share of biodiesel in diesel fuel (B7). This is verified by the evaluation and progress report for the quota year 2014 published by the German Federal Office for Agriculture and Food in December 2015. more...

World climate agreement concluded – sustainable biofuels are already making a significant contribution

Sustainable biofuels are a fuel alternative that can be mobilised quickly for the reduction of greenhouse gases in the transport sector. more...

New DIN fuel standard makes it possible to use 20 or 30 per cent biodiesel in vehicle fleets

At the beginning of December 2015, the German Institute for Standardisation, DIN, published the standard for using biodiesel as an admixture component in percentages of up to 20 (B20) or 30 per cent by volume (B30). more...

UFOP calls for the obligation of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in all EU Member States

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) suggests that the obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which has been in force in Germany since 1 January, be introduced in all EU member states. more...

Indonesia continues to burn the image of sustainably certified biodiesel

In light of Indonesia's worst forest fires in years, the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e. V. (UFOP) criticises the continued inaction of the Indonesian government and the European Union. more...

Focus Climate Protection in Transport

Within the framework of climate change policy, special attention is paid to road transport. Given the uptrend in registration figures for passenger cars and commercial vehicles, especially heavy goods vehicle traffic has to be seen as a cause for the increase in GHG emissions. more...

Prospects of biodiesel under increasing exhaust emissions regulations

There is especially currently in Germany a lot of public interest regarding the compliance with the legally binding limits for exhaust emissions. Biofuels have to flfil these emission requirements as well, without any ifs and buts. more...

International conference “Fuels of the Future 2016” – Programme is now online

The programme of the 13th International Conference “Fuels of the Future” is now available for you at www.fuels-of-the-future.com. The specialist conference will be held from 18 - 19 January 2016 at CityCube Berlin, the new multifunctional congress hall directly on Berlin’s trade fair grounds. more...

UFOP welcomes the extension to the anti-dumping measures aimed at US biodiesel imports

The EU Commission has extended the anti-dumping and anti-subsidising measures first imposed against US biodiesel imports in July 2009 by a further five years. more...

Agricultural Council approves iLUC Directive

On Monday last week the Agriculture Council approved the directive already adopted by the European Parliament on 28th April 2015 to amend the Renewable Energy and Fuel Quality Directive. more...

UFOP to host the 2019 International Rapeseed Congress in Berlin

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) will be the host for the next International Rapeseed Congress in 2019 in Berlin. The chairman of the International Consultative Group of Research on Rapeseed (GCIRC) has confirmed UFOP's application to host the 15th International Rapeseed Congress. more...

Professor Wolfgang Friedt honoured with Eminent Scientist Award

On the occasion of the 14th International Rapeseed Congress in Saskatoon, Canada, Professor Wolfgang Friedt of Gießen University was awarded the Eminent Scientist Award for his lifework in rapeseed breeding research. more...

UFOP chairman Vogel welcomes the European Parliament's decision on EU biofuel policy

The chairman of the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP), Wolfgang Vogel, welcomes the reform of the EU biofuel policy passed with an overwhelming majority by the European Parliament. more...

Online Publications Biodiesel & Co.

This flyer offers an overview over publications on subjects such as biofuel policy, GHG balances and biodiesel, which are available for free download on UFOP's website. more...

Biodiesel in modern EU stage IV diesel engines for agriculture and forestry

A future in which fields are still tilled using biodiesel from rapeseed oil that is certified as sustainable – that is the objective of the project funded by the Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture through the Agency for Renewable Resources and by the UFOP now being started at the University of Rostock. more...

Advanced biofuels are a long time coming

The development of innovations and the target dates set by politicians for the introduction of so-called advanced biofuels onto the market do not match up. more...

Biodiesel 2013/2014 Report on the Current Situation and Prospects – Abstract from the UFOP Annual Report

Extracts from the UFOP report 2013/2014. The extracs gives an overview about the development of Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels. more...

The biodiesel chain calls on European legislators to recognise the direct advantages of biodiesel for the EU’s climate and energy policies, for its agricultural sector and the European economy

Brussels, 21th January 2015. On occasion of the parliamentary event “Biodiesel: Direct Advantages for Europe”, organized by the biodiesel supply chain: European Biodiesel Board, EBB; European Oilseed Alliance, EOA; European vegetable oil and protein meal industry, FEDIOL, prominent researchers have underlined the benefits of biodiesel as well as their reservations regarding the readiness of the iLUC science for EU. Aim of this event that took place immediately after the meeting of the committee "Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI), was a first discussion on the ILUC 2nd reading report with 20 members of the European Parliament. more...

Biodiesel Turnover in 2014 Slightly Above Previous Year’s Level

UFOP estimates overall revenue from biodiesel in Germany to amount to approximately 2.3 million tonnes in 2014. The total turnover therefore stands at approx. 100,000 tonnes above that of the previous year, but the UFOP does not expect that the 2011 and 2012 levels will be reached. more...

Rapeseed – Opportunity or risk for the future!?

From the start until the middle of May, the yellow blossoms of rapeseed stamp the agricultural landscape unmistakably across many regions of Germany. The crop was actually sown before winter, at the end of August, and the harvest will begin in July. The vegetation cycle comes to a close in 11 months. more...

12th international conference “Fuels of the Future 2015”

The 12th international conference “Fuels of the Future 2015”, which will be held at Berlin’s new CityCube from 19-20 January 2015, will dedicate both conference days to a broad range of topics along the biofuel value chain. more...

Video: The truth about European biofuels

In Europe, transport accounts for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 97% of all energy used in transport comes from fossil fuels. This is unsustainable. Europe needs a more sustainable energy future. In 2009, the EU passed the Renewable Energy Directive. Europe’s goal was ambitious and sensible: 10% renewable energy in transport by 2020. more...

Continuing a sustainable biofuel policy after 2020 UFOP demands statutory measures for habitat conservation instead of iLUC factors

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) demands the continuation of a sustainable European biofuel policy after 2020. The union criticizes that, in its draft for a national climate conservation action program 2020, the Federal Department of the Environment doesn't take bioenergy or biofuels into account. more...

ECOFYS Study – "Greenhouse gas impact of marginal fuels"

Biofuel emission savings „80% better than thought“: Production of biofuels from crops such as rapeseed bring savings of GHG emissions that are 80% higher than levels calculated by the EU’s executive since it underestimates emissions from fossil fuels that are first of all replaced by biofuels, e.g. from oil sands. The new study of the institute Ecofys, Netherlands, comissioned by the European Oilseed Alliance, EOA, (UFOP is a member of this alliance), the European Biodiesel Board (EBB) and the European Vegetable Oil&Protein Meals Industry (Fediol), confirms that the existing fossil fossil comparator of 83,8 gCO2/MJ underestimates the existing emissins of fuels from so called „marginal oils“. Ecofys proposes a conpararotot of 115 gCO2/MJ. more...

EU leaders are halting further decarbonisation of the transport sector

The UFOP fears the phasing out of the decarbonisation strategy in the transport sector (the replacement of fossil fuels with biofuels), which has been followed until now, should there be no update to the initial targets for the reduction of green house gas emissions in the transport sector, which are binding for all member states. more...

Despite Biofuels – Warehouses for grains, oil seeds and vegetable oil are overflowing

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) is following the current reporting regarding the situation on the most important agrarian raw materials markets with great concern. more...

UFOP position: The perspective of 2nd generation biofuels in the context of the amendment of the RED/FQD

Since its founding in 1990, UFOP (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V.) has been pursuing the target of making biodiesel made from rape into a more effective alternative in terms of volume – and hence also in terms of cultivated acreage. Within the framework of the first stage of reformations to the Common Agricultural Policy, farmers in the European Union (EU 15) had to leave an average of 10 per cent of their arable land unused. more...

Germany is going ahead: The introduction of greenhouse gas quotas 2015 – new regulation requirements and consequences for the biofuel industry

Germany, observed by other member states, will change the commitment framework from an energy based quota (currently 6.25 %) to a stepwise increasing greenhouse gas reduction commitment. In October this year the German parliament (Bundestag) decided – 2015: 3,5%; 2017: 4,0%; from 2020: 6,0%. These increasing GHG-reduction commitments have to be fulfilled by the petrol companies (owner of tax warehouses). Not only the big companies of the petrol industry also the small traders, are concerned. more...

Scania: New 450 hp engine with SCR only

Scania has now further broadened its already comprehensive range of Euro 6-certified truck engines. Anyone who needs 450 hp, not least European customers with tractor-trailers, can now choose between two versions of Scania’s well known 13-litre engines at that power level. more...

Fuels of the Future 2015 – Invitation for sponsors and call for papers

The 12th Conference Fuels of the Future will take place on the 19th and 20th January 2015 in Berlin. Please find here the invitation for sponsors and the call for papers. more...

Biodiesel: UFOP demands a 4.5 percent rather than a 3 percent greenhouse gas reduction quota

In a letter to Barbara Hendricks, German Federal Minister for the Environment, the Chairman of UFOP, Wolfgang Vogel, has demanded that the obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) planned for 2017 be brought forward to 1 January 2015 at the level of 4.5%. more...

Reducing emissions using biofuel blends from engines with SCR catalytic converters

By optimising the dosing quantity of urea in the exhaust aftertreatment (AdBlue), a further reduction of nitrogen oxides at higher levels of biodiesel in diesel fuel is possible. more...

EU climate protection and resource conservation policies not to include biofuels in future?!

The UFOP sees a significant need for research and development in the case of biofuels of the second and third generation. As a result, both these and biofuels from waste oils and animal fats would be unable to fill the supply gap resulting from 2020 onwards, if the subsidising of conventional biofuels is to be phased out, as proposed by the EU Commission. more...

agri benchmark – Understanding agriculture globally

agri benchmark is an international, non-profit-oriented network in which agricultural economists, consultants, sector specialists and producers from agriculture and horticulture can interact and collaborate. Since its foundation in 2007, the UFOP has been supporting this globally interlinked work with numerous partners. more...

Biodiesel sales witness sharp decline in 2013

The sale of biodiesel declined drastically by 300,000 tonnes in 2013 according to the German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). During the period 2009 to 2012, biodiesel sales were 2.5 million tonnes on average, this figure only amounting to 2.2 million tonnes in 2013. more...

”indirect Land Use Change” (iLUC) – A critical inventory for objective political decision-making

“Proposal rejected - The EU Commission has failed in the first round with its biofuel legislation on ”indirect Land Use Change”. With this statement Prof. Dr. Uwe Lahl, Technical University of Darmstadt, introduces in his article. more...

Without bioenergy, we would actually have less to eat …

The processing of rapeseeds generates 40 % rapeseed oil, which is used as a raw material for manufacturing biodiesel. The largest proportion (60 %) is rapeseed meal, which is used as valuable protein-rich animal feed. more...

Study: Determinants for the level and volatility of agricultural commodity prices on international markets

With the world-wide explosion in prices for agricultural commodities and basic foodstuffs in the period 2007 to 2008 and the subsequent collapse in 2009 caused by the recession, an intensive discussion has begun on the possible negative consequences of high and volatile prices for world food security. Especially in countries that import foodstuffs, violent protests and revolts have erupted in this respect against the drastic inflation of food prices affecting, above all, the urban population. more...

UFOP Filling Station Study: Rapeseed oil determines the raw material mix in the winter

At 89 %, rapeseed oil is, as expected, the most important raw material of the biodiesel component in diesel fuel, followed by palm kernel oil at 6 percent and palm and soya oil at 4 and 1 percent, respectively. This is the result of the renewed investigation of the raw material composition of diesel fuel at public filling stations commissioned by the UFOP. more...

DBFZ: Check calculation method and standard values of the greenhouse gas balancing for biofuels from residual materials

The Deutsche Biomasseforschungszentrum (DBFZ) in Leipzig comes to the conclusion in its report "Determinants for the re-evaluation of residual and waste materials on the GHG balance of first generation biofuels" that a re-evaluation and correction is called for in regard to the methodology and values specified in the biofuel directives for calculation of the GHG balance for biofuels from residual and waste materials. more...

DBFZ: Revision needed regarding the GHG standard values for biodiesel from animal fats and vegetable waste oils

The German Biomass Research Center (DBFZ) has studied the effect of different transport expenditures involved in the collection of animal fats and vegetable waste oils on the greenhouse gas balance of biofuels produced from these. The DBFZ comes to the conclusion that the standard values specified in Renewable Energies Directive (2009/28/EC) have to be revised. more...

iLUC and sustainability certification – consequences for all areas of use

Apart from the production of biofuels, the use of renewable raw materials is also increasing in other areas, such as their use as a substance. The aim is to reduce the burden on the environment, e. g. by manufacturing vegetable oil-based engine and hydraulic oils or phosphate-free detergents with the help of surfactants based on fatty alcohols. In creating a promotional backdrop for the use of renewable raw materials, demands on sustainability must therefore also be included. more...

Criticism of biofuels – checking the facts

Critics of biofuels – from mineral oil companies to environmental groups – express a wide variety of concerns with regard to ecology, ethics and economics. There is no doubt that biofuels are not a panacea for climate protection and energy transition in the transport sector. However, climate-friendly mobility structures of the future are unrealistic without biofuels. On closer inspection, the accusations made against these energy sources often turn out to be of a generalising nature. In order to avoid shortcircuited arguments, several claims made by critics are to be analysed here. more...

11th International Conference "Fuels of the Future 2014"

The German BioEnergy Association cordially invite all interested persons for the 11th International Conference on Biofuels “Fuels of the Future 2014”, which will be held during 20 - 21 January 2014 in Berlin. The thematic panels have been arranged now. more...

UFOP special publication "Biodiesel & Co" available

UFOP (Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen) has republished the sections of its 2012/2013 annual report that dealt with biodiesel and biofuels as a separate publication entitled "Biodiesel & Co". This special publication includes the sections on the market situation and outlook, the basic legal situation at national and international level, and a substantial statistical annex on biodiesel production and consumption, and on capacity development. The publication also includes the report on the analysis of the raw material composition of biodiesel, about the (B7) blend, which was made available at public petrol stations in the summer of 2013. The publication is available for download free of charge here. more...

UFOP-funded project for the approval of biodiesel as a pure fuel for DEUTZ Agripower engines

The DEUTZ Agripower engines of the series TCD 7.8 L6, TCD 6.1 L6 and TCD 4.1 L4 can be approved for operation with biodiesel as a pure fuel. This is the result of the project successfully completed by DEUTZ AG. In the course of this project, the engines were subjected to extensive field tests in practice, with a conclusive result for DEUTZ common rail injection systems and exhaust gas aftertreatment systems. more...

Final Report: Lowering the boiling curve of biodiesel by metathesis

In general, pure biodiesel is not applicable in modern diesel engines with particulate filters, as the particulate filter regeneration process would lead to a dilution of engine lubricant by the biofuel. Also a larger share of biogenic components in the fuel than the 7% that are permissible according to the diesel fuel standard are regarded as critical by vehicle manufacturers. more...

Biodiesel offers great internal engine potential for reducing particulate emissions

Tests carried out by regineering GmbH, Denkendorf, Germany, on a 1-cylinder test engine confirm great potential for reducing particulates by using biodiesel as opposed to diesel. more...

Joint Opinion Laborde and Lahl on iLUC

Please find here the Joint Opinion on indirect Land Use Change (iLUC) by David Laborde, IFPRI-Institute, and Prof. Dr. Uwe Lahl, Technische Universität Darmstadt, dated 3rd July more...

UFOP Filling Station Study: Raw Material Diversity in Biodiesel Content Increasing

With 53 percent raw material content, rapeseed oil remains the most important raw material source for the production of biodiesel in Germany, followed by palm oil with 25 percent, coconut and soya oil with 11 percent respectively. This is the result of the study presented by the UFOP. more...

Environmental Committee rules in favour of Decline in European Biofuel Production

The compromise reached today in the Environmental Committee of the European Parliament severely jeopardises the prospects of German and European biodiesel production in the view of the UFOP. more...

Indonesia is burning the image of sustainable certified biodiesel

Notwithstanding the international discussion concerning indirect land use changes meanwhile also in conjunction with the biofuel policies of the European Union, the Indonesian government remains inactive in the face of the slash-and-burn threats currently destroying the rainforest. more...

EU imposes anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia

In light of an extremely tense biodiesel market in the European Union due to margin pressure and insolvency, UFOP welcomes the decision of the EU Commission to impose anti-dumping duties on biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia. more...

Finkbeiner-Study refutes IFPRI and iLUC-factors

UFOP greatly welcomes the study results presented this week by Prof. Dr. Matthias Finkbeiner, Technical University Berlin, concerning the scientific resilience of indirect land use effects – iLUC-factors – in eco balances. more...

Indirect Land Use Change (iLUC ) within Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) – scientific robustness and consistency with international standards

In his recent study, comparing scientific robustness of iLUC models and their consistency with international GHG emission calculation standards, Prof. Finkbeiner, Chair of Sustainable Engineering and Vice-Director of Environmental Technology at Technical University of Berlin, provides a broad overview of loopholes and weaknesses that put reliance on estimated iLUC factors’ use for policy-making into question. more...

Smudo with RapsPower at the Potsdamer Platz and Nürburgring

The famous musician and race car driver presented both the team and technology of his Bioconcept-Car in Berlin prior to the ADAC 24-hour race more...

OWI annual report 2012

The annual report 2012 of the German Öl-Wärme-Institut (OWI) offers a detailed overview of the current state of research in the area of oil heating and the usage of FAME as a blend component. Here you can download the full report. more...

EU Biofuel policies – DBFZ explains and comments on EU Commission proposals

The Deutsche Biomasseforschungszentrum (German Research Centre for Biomass – DBFZ) was commissioned by the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP) to explain the proposals by the EU Commission regarding the amendment of the Renewable Energies Directive and the Fuel Quality Directive in a technical paper, with commentary on the most important key points. more...

Old plant regulation expires – Certification systems and certification body before the practical test

The UFOP points out that, contrary to biodiesel made from rapeseed, biodiesel made from soya and palm oil does not fullfill this greenhouse gas reduction requirement according to the standard values of the Renewable Energy Directive. more...

Rapeseed – Opportunity or risk for the future!?

From the beginning to the end of May, the blooming rapeseed forms the German landscape. It is the element which forms the cultural landscape in many regions. A new harvest grows, which started with the sowing at the end of August in the previous year. The harvest begins in July so that the cultivation cycle ends after 11 months. more...

Double counting has major effect on biodiesel sales

UFOP demands cap for biodiesel from waste oil. The sale of biodiesel fell again by 2.8 percent to a total of 2.34 million tonnes in 2012. For the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP), the German oilseed grower organisation, this reveals a clear continuation of a worryingly negative trend. more...

Biodiesel 2011/2012 Report on the Current Situation and Prospects – Abstract from the UFOP Annual Report

Extracts from the UFOP report 2011/2012. The extracs gives an overview about the development of Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels. more...

Videos: Sustainability of biofuels

Biofuels play an important role in the energy concept of the German government. In order to guarantee the sustainability of biofuels rules were enacted. The videos explain the principles of the German "Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance". more...

UFOP "Politics News": Indirect Land Use Change

The introduction of the iLUC factors proposed by the EU Commission must be prevented. Its introduction would have fatal consequences – not just for the German and European biofuels industry! more...

Plate – Tank: Without bioenergy, we wouldn't have more, but less on our plate

There is one central argument in the debate on bioenergy vs. world food which many people are not aware of: Only a small part of the rape plant is actually used for the energy sector in the production of biodiesel: vegetable oil (approx. 40 %). The larger part constitutes the oil meal extracted (approx. 60 %), which is used as feed containing protein in animal nutrition for the production of milk, cheese, eggs and meat. more...

Higher biodiesel prices due to switch of diesel classes

According to the Agricultural Market Information Company (AMI), producers of biodiesel offer fuel suitable for autumn temperatures since beginning October 2012. The feedstock for biodiesel is governed by the Cloud Filter Plugging Point (CFPP value). more...

EU must not sabotage the Energy Revolution – Bioenergy and Biofuels are needed!

Joint Explanation of Farming and Bioenergy Production: The plans put forward by the European Commission regarding a change to the Renewable Energies Directive and the Biofuels Directive are an unashamed U-turn. The planned effective halt in the use of biofuels and bioenergy would obstruct the conversion to a supply structure involving renewable energies. more...

European Commission Raises Queries over the Reliability of Biofuel Policy

The Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants e.V. (UFOP) considers the proposals announced by the EC’s General Directorate (GD) for Climate Policy to be a complete renunciation of a reliable, future-oriented climate and biofuel policy. more...

UFOP welcomes the initiation of anti-dumping proceedings against Argentina and Indonesia

In response to a petition from the European Biodiesel Board (EBB), the Commission’s responsible Advisory Committee made a positive decision in the evidentiary procedure for the opening of anti-dumping proceedings against biodiesel imports from Argentina and Indonesia. UFOP e.V. greatly welcomes this decision. more...

UFOP welcomes the BLE's initiative for the intensification of European cooperation

The BLE has announced via a bulletin various errors and false interpretations in the utilization of proof of sustainability for bio fuels. In a newsletter to all nationally recognized certification systems and certification offices in mid-August, among other things, the authority indicated that shiploads of non-European, non-sustainable biodiesel landing at the harbour of Rotterdam repeatedly received the proof of sustainability of sustaining biodiesel produced of European raw material without the non-European, non-sustainable shipload having been unloaded. more...

UFOP questions the scientific quality of the greenhouse gas study from the University of Jena on rapeseed biodiesel

Experts from the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) question the scientific quality of the study "Uncertainties about the GHG Emissions Saving of Rapeseed Biodiesel" published as part of the "Jena Economic Research Papers" series. more...

Element pollution of exhaust aftertreatment systems by using biodiesel (Offprint MTZ 6/2012)

Biodiesel is a particularly attractive fuel for agricultural machinery. However, the introduction of new emission standards has made the use of exhaust gas treatment systems in agricultural vehicles essential. The combination of biodiesel and exhaust gas treatment causes problems, because the biodiesel contains traces of inorganic elements. These turn into ash during the combustion process in the engine, which can result in permanent damage to the components of the exhaust gas treatment system. more...

No Agreement in EU Commission regarding Indirect Land Use Changes – UFOP welcomes intensive discussion

German and European oilseed growers are relieved that the debate centred around appropriate consideration of indirect land use changes (iLUC) has not yet come to a conclusion even after statement in the committee of the Commission on Monday last week. The responsible Directorates General “Climate Protection” and “Energy” have so far not been able to agree on a proposal. more...

UFOP Publishes Report on International Biodiesel Markets

On behalf of the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e. V. (UFOP), Ecofys Gerrmany GmbH has compiled a report on the market development for biodiesel in the German and international biodiesel markets. The study comes to the conclusion that the trend towards internationalisation is set to continue with an almost exponential growth in biodiesel production and sales. more...

UFOP Opposes Introduction of iLUC Factors for Biofuels

The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) opposes the adoption of iLUC factors specific for biofuels. The introduction of excessive malus points for greenhouse gas production starting in 2017 would put an end to the European Biodiesel industry. Therefore, based on the average Biodiesel sales volume of the years 2008 to 2010, UFOP demands investment protection for all existing Biodiesel production plants, UFOP’s vice chairman, Dietmar Brauer, pointed out when visiting the Agritechnica in Hannover. more...

Biodiesel puts less of a burden on systems for the after-treatment of exhaust gases than previously thought

When it comes to approving exhaust aftertreatment systems, the content of trace elements in fuels plays an important role. All metals that are emitted during engine combustion can increase the exhaust gas backpressure in the aftertreatment system to impermissible values due to the formation of ash. In addition, metal coatings on exhaust aftertreatment systems and catalytic converters are contaminated or deactivated by phosphorous and alkali elements. more...

Specific adsorbents for clean biodiesel

Biodiesel contains mostly still wax-like plant components which impair the quality of the fuel. These can crystallise during storage and are thought to block the fuel filter. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart has developed specific nano-particles which bind these unwanted accompanying substances. more...

Evaluation report concerning the greenhouse gas balance of biodiesel from Canadian rapeseed

The Deutsche BiomasseForschungsZentrum gGmbH (DBFZ) has published a brief study of the greenhouse gas balance of biodiesel from Canadian rapeseed in which it evaluated the suitability of the result as new default value for greenhouse gas for biodiesel based on rapeseed from North America within the framework of the EU Directive 2009/28/EC concerning renewable energies. The DBFZ concludes that the study is not suitable for defining a new default for Canola biodiesel. The aim of the short study was to assess whether the results of the study were suitable for a direct comparison with the default value of biodiesel from the EU Directive as well as the introduction of a new default value for biodiesel produced from Canadian rapeseed. more...

Higher blending quotas for biofuels in the EU

Full utilization of the available biodiesel production capacity is not in sight. According to the “Kingsman” industry information service, some member states have increased their national blending quotas in 2011 in comparison with 2010 on the basis of energy content: more...

An Analysis of iLUC and Biofuels

Regional quantification of climate-relevant land use change and options for combating it. The reason for this study is the EU Commission’s report on the impact of the EU biofuels policy which must be submitted by the end of 2010. To fight climate change, the EU has set its sights on further expanding the use of biomass in its policies – not just for the transport sector. In terms of the effects of EU biofuel policy, the question arises as to whether indirect land use change associated with biofuels should be combated through regulation and, if so, how. Direct land use change brought about by biofuels has already been addressed in the Renewable Energies Directive (2009/28). This study concludes that land use change (LUC) – or converting natural forest, grazing land or fallow land to cropland – continues to be a major problem in some regions of the world, not only for climate protection. The effects of land use change can be direct (dLUC) or indirect (iLUC). If the original use of the land was carbon-rich in the vegetation or in the soil (for example, forest) and the subsequent use is carbon-poor (pastures or crops), LUC increases the amount of carbon dioxide released and thus adversely affects the climate. more...

From the field into the tank and back again

According to legislation in effect since the beginning of 2011, biofuels can only be sold in the German market if it can be demonstrated that the energy plants from which the biofuel is produced were grown in line with the principles of sustainability. The “Biofuels Sustainability Ordinance” translates the EU directive into national law in Germany. The great deal of documentation and certification is to ensure that the biomass for the production of biofuel is not obtained, e.g., from slash-and-burn cultivation in rain forests. more...

Economic and environmental value of European cropping systems that include grain legumes

Grain legume crops could offer many economic and environmental benefits if they were to be grown more widely in European crop rotations. The potential for increase would be great since grain legumes, such as peas, faba beans and lupins, represent only 1%–7% of the arable crops area in the EU, compared with 15%–25% outside Europe. The first article of our special report describes the bottlenecks and prospects for grain legume cultivation and use in different European regions, discovered from questionnaire surveys with more than 500 farmers that do not grow grain legumes.

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UFOP demands B30 for commercials and tax shelter for admixed biogenic fuel

On the occasion of the presentation of the fleet project of Coburg College involving the use of hydrogenated vegetable oil as alternative fuel, the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP) called upon the German government to go ahead with launching the B30 fuel for commercial vehicles and make the biogenic portion eligible for tax concession. more...

DBFZ study reveals substantial GHG emission reduction potential of biodiesel from rape seed

On the request of the Union zur Förderung von Öl- und Proteinpflanzen (Union for the Promotion of Oilseeds and Protein Plants - UFOP), the Deutsche Biomasse Forschungszentrum (German Research Centre for Biomass - DBFZ) examined several approaches to improving the Green-House-Gas (GHG) saving balance of biodiesel produced from rape seed. The work was based on the so called default values for biodiesel from rape seed in Annex V of the EU Directive on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources (2009/28/EC). According to this default value, the GHG emission saving of biodiesel amounts to approx. 38 % in comparison with fossil fuels. more...

Biomethanol is a poor contributor to improving the GHG balance of biodiesel

Depending on the production method and the inputs, the substitution of natural gas-based methanol by biomethanol can save only approximately 2% to 3% of the total emissions from biodiesel production. However, as the price of methanol is higher, this GHG saving is obtained at the expense of 6% to 7% higher costs of biodiesel production. This is the outcome of a brief study undertaken by Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum (DBFZ) for Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP). more...

Biodiesel 2009/2010 Report on the Current Situation and Prospects – Abstract from the UFOP Annual Report

Extracts from the UFOP report 2099/2010. The extracs gives an overview about the development of Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels. more...

US Study on Greenhouse Gas Balance of Soy Based Diesel with Inconsistencies

Berlin, August 3, 2010. A new US study on the greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of soy-based diesel has been evaluated by Deutsches BiomasseForschungsZentrum (DBFZ). The study published by the United Soybean Board (USB) concludes that biodiesel produced from soy in the United States achieves a greenhouse gas reduction of 52 % based on defaults. The USB study is analyzed for conformity with European Directive 2009/28/EC both for the methodology applied and the database on which it relies. As a result, the DBFZ finds that even if the method by which the GHG balance is calculated complies with the requirements of the European Directive, the underlying data involves some uncertainties and as such should be looked at more closely. more...

Property Demands on Future Biodiesel

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. more...

Project report for the release of DEUTZ Euro IV common rail engines for biodiesel out

The availability of release declarations is the precondition for the future marketing of biodiesel as only fuel or as blending component in diesel fuel. With the target of obtaining the release for the TCD 2013 4V of emission level EURO IV with DEUTZ Common Rail injection system in commercial trucks, an engine and function test on the test rig and a field test for making sure of the biodiesel compatibility were performed by DEUTZ AG with financial assistance from the Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP). more...

Memorandum submitted by the Associations of the German Biofuel Industries BDBe, UFOP and VDB concerning the Blending of Biofuels

The Associations of the German Biofuel Industries state: - The proportion of biofuels in the fuels market has dropped dramatically since 2008, mainly due to the setback of the market for pure biofuels (B100 and vegetable oil). - The blending of biofuels to fossil fuels cannot compensate the setback of the pure biofuels market. more...

Biodiesel & Co.

The situation and future challanges of the biodiesel sector in Germany and in the European Union 2009/2010 - the implementation of the ordinance for sustainable biofuels. Extracts from the UFOP report 2008/2009 written by Dieter Bockey, Biodiesel specialist of the UFOP. The extract gives an overview about the development of Biodiesel production and sales in Germany and describes the political discussion and decisions affecting Biofuels. more...

Oil Dilution of a Passenger Car Diesel Engine in Operation with blended Diesel Fuel B10

Currently Biodiesel (RME) is mixed according to EN 14214 and EN 590 with up to 5% of fossil Diesel fuel. With a further increase of RME fraction to 10% (B10 blend), there are uncertainties regarding the undisturbed longlife behavior due to variations of the physicochemical properties of RME in comparison to commercial Diesel fuel. more...

No-harm list of oxidation stabilizers for biodiesel

Whenever additives for biodiesel (FAME) are used as blending component in diesel fuel it is very important that the additives are not interacting with the mineral fuel, the additives of the mineral fuel or the engine oil in any forbidden way. In addition to the substance BHT (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-toluene), known as stabilizer of biodiesel for a long time, other substances and products are available in the market. To ensure the safe use, negative impacts of these additives on the performance of the engine must be excluded, from the mixing with the biodiesel (solution behaviour) and the use as blending component in diesel fuel (B7). more...

DEUTZ Tier 3 engines successfully tested with biodiesel

Industrial engines of the TCD 2012 and 2013 series released for operation with biodiesel DEUTZ AG, Cologne, has successfully tested operation of the six-cylinder engines of the 2012 4V series (bore/stroke 101/126 mm) with rapeseed methyl ester (RME). Thus operation of the Tier 3 engines of the 2012 and 2013 series with biodiesel fuel according to DIN EN 14214 can be recommended without any restriction. This is the result of comprehensive tests carried out recently with the support of the “Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen” (UFOP). more...

Environmental Effects of Modern Diesel Fuels and Their Blends

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. more...

Current situation and prospects for biodiesel and vegetable oils as fuels: From niche products to market players

The updated report of the UFOP “Biodiesel and vegetable oils as fuels” offers an overview of the current situation of biodiesel and vegetable oils. In 1990 when the UFOP was founded, biodiesel was an unknown product in Germany. With its inter-professional structure, the association had placed its reliance on this alternative fuel from the very beginning. In the meantime biodiesel has established itself as the biofuel in Germany. more...