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

Berlin, 15 March 2023: The forecast on the development of greenhous 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.
Their contribution to climate protection, as well as that of biofuels from residual and waste materials, could be even greater. However, caps of 4.4% and 1.9% of final energy consumption in transport limit the potential use and thus the contribution to greenhouse gas reduction. With the approval of B10 instead of B7, the specification of E10 instead of E5 as a protective grade and the introduction of E20, more biofuel could be blended immediately with climate protection benefits. Germany exported about 2.3 million tonnes of biodiesel in 2022, a potential that should be used in this country and counted towards climate protection targets, emphasises the UFOP. The association expects that not only the Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport (BMDV) but also the Federal Government's Expert Council on Climate Issues will recommend these measures.