CO2 emissions and climate change... Identifying energies capable of reducing our dependence on oil is now a major political and environmental challenge.
Faced with climate change, governments no longer have any choice but to find solutions to combat global warming. The goal of achieving 10% renewable energies in the transport sector in Europe by 2020 applies to all EU countries. Bioethanol now forms part of the energies of the future!
European strategy
Europe is committed to developing biofuels. Since 2003, the European Commission has supported the development of biofuels and respect for the commitments made at the Kyoto Conference (1997), which were reiterated at Bali in 2007. The goal was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, secure energy supplies and promote renewable energies.
European incentives
The European biofuel development strategy was put into practice via three directives in 2003:
- the "Promotion of the use of biofuels" directive, which set out market targets for biofuels,
- the "Taxation of energy products" directive which authorizes Member States to apply, under fiscal control, total or partial exemptions for biofuels
- the "Fuel quality" directive setting out technical specifications for fuels and enabling a higher volume of biofuels to be used in petrol, particularly ethanol.
European bioethanol targets
In 2003, the European Commission set national indicative targets for the minimum share of biofuels to be sold on their markets as a percentage of total fuel sales. Member states are encouraged to redouble their efforts in this field.
The Renewable Energies Directive adopted as part of a co-decision procedure by the Council of Europe and the European Parliament in December 2008 requires the use of at least 10% renewable energy in the transport sector by 2020.
The new European energy policy has set binding national targets for the average renewable share across the EU at 20% by 2020. The European “Fuel quality” directive will lead to the marketing of a new fuel within the EU, E10, containing up to 10% ethanol. France for its part is marketing SP95 - E10, which has been available since 1 April 2009.