The European Parliament last week voted to keep the role of sustainable biofuels in decarbonising EU transport as part of the revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED).
MEPs voted to preserve the existing cap on crop-based biofuels such as renewable ethanol at 7% of member states’ road and rail energy, rejecting amendments calling for further restrictions and supporting the proposal of the European Commision.
Ethanol industry group ePURE said that tighter limits would have led to more imports of fossil fuel and could hamper progress towards member states’ decarbonisation goals.
“The European Parliament has wisely ignored an onslaught of misleading claims about the sustainability of European biofuels such as renewable ethanol, and instead supported a continuing role for this important renewable energy source in the decarbonisation of EU transport,” commented ePURE director general David Carpintero.
There will now be final negotiations between the European Commission, MEPs and member states.
