Ireland mulls higher threshold for biofuels as 2020 target lags
Ireland has launched a consultation on raising the percentage of biofuels that are used in the country’s road transport in a bid to meet 2020 renewable fuels targets.
The consultation will run until January 19 next year and is canvassing views on the implementation of a phased increase in the biofuel obligation rate, and on how the scheme can be developed in future.
If the Irish government does decide to raise its threshold for the use of biofuels, it might require a mandate for the use of E10 biofuel (which is 90% gasoline and 10% ethanol) a fuel that hasn’t yet been mandated in the UK, said a spokesperson with the Irish Petroleum Industry Association.
According to consultants, almost three-quarters of the cars on the Irish Republic’s roads run on diesel, which would require Ireland to source much more (in terms of volume) in biodiesel than the E10 required for petrol-power cars.
Data supplied by the Irish Republic’s Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment (DCENR) shows that 46% of its biofuel use comes from biodiesel that sources used cooking oil, 22% from wheat-based bioethanol and 13% from tallow-based biodiesel.
Ireland has a commitment to ensure that by 2020, 10% of the energy consumed in the transport sector will come from renewable energy sources.
But in order to meet this target, it will be necessary to increase the biofuels obligation rate to approximately 12% from the current rate of 8%, the department’s consultation says.
A spokesman for DCENR told Energy Census said that primary legislation would be required by the end of 2018 to implement a rate increase with effect from 1 January 2019.
However, a higher biofuel threshold has unnerved the IPIA.
"The oil industry in Ireland (IPIA) has been in discussions with the State for several years on this matter. Our primary concern is that there is a risk of vehicle breakdowns and disruption caused by such fuels blocking engine filters in cold weather and other damage to engines caused by high ethanol blends," said a spokesperson with the IPIA.
In common with other EU member states, Ireland’s national scheme will have to take into account developments in the negotiations on the recast of the EU Renewable Energy Directive.
The EU is currently debating whether to lower the threshold of crop-based biofuels that can be used to count against 2030 renewables targets.
“It is clear that biofuels will continue to have a key role in renewable energy in transport post-2020,” a spokesperson for DCENR said in an email.
DCENR is also seeking views on the potential for a similar obligation scheme in the domestic heating sector.