[originally published in RealClear Energy]
Dreaming about the way forward for vehicles has been a staple of American life since Henry Ford launched the Mannequin T in 1908. As we speak, our imaginative and prescient of the way forward for American vehicles is inexorably intertwined with efforts to cut back carbon emissions and local weather change. Many are targeted on electrification as the one solution to obtain this objective. However the information inform a special story. To satisfy our formidable local weather targets, we should develop an inclusive, all-of-the-above technique that comes with low-carbon superior biofuels to enhance the electrification market and prolong the attain of low-carbon transit.
Think about the cooling shopper demand throughout your complete EV market. Between This fall of 2023 and Q1 of 2024 there was a 7.3% lower within the variety of EVs bought. In the meantime, hybrid automobiles that mix electrical applied sciences alongside conventional liquid fuels are more and more in style for People, partly because of the gradual rollout of EV charging stations. Even shoppers in California, simply the nation’s high EV market, are voicing issues concerning the lack of charging infrastructure to help EVs.
These datapoints recommend we could not obtain our objective of getting 50% of all new automobile gross sales be electrical by 2030. Some projections have even decided that by 2050, EVs will make up 60% of latest automotive gross sales, however nearly all of vehicles on the street will nonetheless be powered by conventional liquid fuels. After 13 months straight of latest warmth information, we have to implement a revised technique that delivers outcomes now.
Taking fast motion by pursuing all accessible applied sciences that assist to cut back U.S. transportation-based emissions is the best step. Superior biofuels, that are renewable liquid fuels mandated by Congress to realize a minimum of 50% discount of lifecycle emissions, will play a vital position. They can be utilized by automobiles with inner combustion engines, together with hybrid choices most well-liked by shoppers. If included into our emissions discount technique, superior biofuels will rapidly assist to cut back the roughly 1.5 billion tons of emissions from U.S. automobiles yearly.
Liquid superior biofuels can even have a big influence outdoors of the U.S. Many gas-engine vehicles find yourself in creating international locations as soon as shoppers from the U.S. or different rich nations are achieved with them. Low-carbon superior biofuels will help energy these automobiles till electrical applied sciences are extra cheaply and broadly accessible. And even nicely after – if hybrid automobiles proceed being market leaders.
The emissions discount alternative provided by superior biofuels have been observed by main car producers. “Investing within the manufacturing of low-carbon liquid fuels is an extremely necessary factor to do,” mentioned Toyota Motor Chief Scientist and Toyota Analysis Institute CEO Gill Pratt at RealClears’ latest Power Future Discussion board. “It’s not a so-called ‘distraction,’ it’s really what we have to do with the intention to get [to net zero by 2050] as a result of there’s not sufficient private capital within the arms of billions of individuals all over the world to easily say ‘Okay, I’m going to throw out my automotive and get a brand new one’” (see the Pratt video on the high of this text).
This all-of-the-above strategy has already been adopted by main car producers. In 2017 Common Motors expanded its choices of vehicles that may use B20 biodiesel blends. “With biodiesel manufacturing and retail distribution increasing, and so many confirmed advantages, we imagine extra fleets will embrace the know-how as a part of their sustainability plans,” mentioned Common Motors Director of Industrial Product and Medium Obligation Product John Schwegman.
Equally, in 2022 Nissan Motor entered a 24-hour endurance race with a sports activities automotive run solely on carbon-neutral biofuel. “This demanding race will carry many priceless learnings to develop aggressive engines suitable with carbon-neutral gas,” mentioned Nissan Chief Working Officer Ashwani Gupta forward of the occasion.
Past vehicles, superior biofuels can even play a vital position in lowering emissions from heavy-duty automobiles that can not be simply electrified, like marine vessels, long-haul vehicles, rail, and planes. Sustainable aviation gas (SAF), a sophisticated biofuel utilized by the aviation business to satisfy their objective of internet zero emissions by 2050, is a wonderful instance. Manufacturing capability is hovering within the U.S. and will improve to almost 30,000 barrels per day this yr.
SAF’s success is thanks partly to the landmark Inflation Discount Act, which incentivized the manufacturing and use of superior biofuels in aviation. It’s time for Washington to do extra to help the broader suite of low-carbon sustainable fuels, beginning with the Renewable Gasoline Customary (RFS).
The RFS, which units renewable quantity obligations (RVOs) for the amount of low-carbon liquid transportation gas required to interchange or cut back fossil gas utilization, is ready to be up to date subsequent yr. RVOs had been final revised in 2023, and whereas they had been a step in the best path in the direction of an all-of-the-above strategy that comes with superior biofuels, there may be nonetheless extra work that must be achieved. Prioritizing low-carbon liquid fuels and recognizing their quickly rising manufacturing capability within the subsequent RVO is a step we should take to make sure success in our transportation-based emissions reductions efforts.
It is vital that we deal with emissions from America’s fleet of passenger and business automobiles. Electrification ought to play a task on this mission, however not on the exclusion of different confirmed applied sciences. For the sake of our planet, we should discover all emission discount choices accessible to us, together with these provided by low-carbon superior biofuels.
Michael McAdams is president of the Superior Biofuel Affiliation.
