The Council of the European Union on Oct. 9 adopted rules for the ReFuelEU initiative. The brand new legislation goals to spice up each the demand for and provide of sustainable aviation gasoline (SAF) throughout the European Union.
Growth of the initiative has been ongoing for greater than a 12 months. MEPs in July 2022 adopted draft guidelines for ReFuelEU. A political settlement on the proposal was reached by the European Parliament in April 2023. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Sept. 13 accredited the ReFuelEU rules.
With the ReFuelEU initiative now formally adopted by the Council of the European Union, the brand new rules can be revealed within the EU’s official journal throughout the coming weeks and can enter into power on the 20 th day following publication. The rules will start to take impact on Jan. 1, 2024.
ReFuelEU is a part of the Match for 55 package deal, which is the European Union’s plan to cut back greenhouse gasoline (GHG) emissions by no less than 55 p.c by 2030 when in comparison with a 1990 baseline and to achieve net-zero by 2050.
The brand new ReFuelEU aviation guidelines require EU airports and gasoline suppliers to make sure that no less than 2 p.c of aviation fuels are “inexperienced” by 2025. The requirement ramps as much as 6 p.c in 2030, 20 p.c in 2035, 34 p.c in 2040, 42 p.c in 2045, and 70 p.c in 2050. The foundations additionally require a proportion of the gasoline combine to be comprised of artificial fuels, equivalent to e-kerosene. The requirement for artificial fuels is about at 1.2 p.c in 2030, 2 p.c in 2032, 5 p.c in 2035 and progressively reaches 35 p.c in 2050.
The ReFuelEU guidelines defines SAF to incorporate artificial fuels, sure biofuels produced from agricultural or forestry residues, algae, bio-waste, used cooking oil or sure animal fat. Recycled jet fuels produced from waste gasses and waste plastic are additionally thought-about “inexperienced.” As well as, renewable hydrogen is an eligible gasoline below this system. The foundations forestall SAF produced from feed and meals crop-based feedstocks, together with palm and soy supplies, from taking part in this system. In accordance with info launched by the European Parliament, these crop-based biofuels can’t be categorised as “inexperienced” below the ReFuelEU initiative as a result of they don’t meet sustainability standards.
Along with setting SAF mandates, the ReFuelEU initiative additionally creates a brand new flight labeling program. Beginning in 2025, there can be an EU label for the efficiency of flights. Airways will have the ability to market their flights with a label indicating the anticipated carbon footprint per passenger and the anticipated CO2 effectivity per kilometer. The label program will assist passengers evaluate the environmental efficiency of flights operated by completely different firms on the identical route.
Further info is accessible on the Council of the European Union web site.
