Europe needs to prioritise CO2 sequestration and provide a business case to avoid losing out on industrial competitiveness to the US, argues Zoltán Szabó.
If Europe achieves its 2030 biomethane target it will have unwittingly created the conditions to cheaply mitigate the carbon emissions equivalent to an entire member state, writes James Cogan.
EU policymakers have repeatedly confirmed the sustainability of crop-based biofuels, yet the latest draft Council Presidency draft proposal on energy taxation would treat them as fossil fuels. That undermines the EU’s climate goals and its Paris Agreement commitments, writes David Carpintero.
Subsidies for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) risk diverting large sums of funding to projects unlikely to benefit the climate. Instead, they should be spent on home insulation and heat pumps that will reduce carbon emissions and relieve fuel poverty, argues Almuth Ernsting.
Efficiency championed by advanced grain processors or biorefineries offer a way to cut through trade-offs between conflicting policy aims. Creating value through industrial efficiency is perhaps the best way forward to simultaneously achieve climate, energy and food / feed policy …
Environmental NGOs have been quick to attack the green credentials of biofuels, with some calling for fuels from crops to be curtailed. But their criticism ignores objective evidence, writes James Cogan.
Using forest wood to replace Russian fossil fuel imports would not only be disastrous for the environment, it would also not be a credible energy alternative, writes Karl Wagner.
The current Bioenergy Sustainability Policy review needs to ensure clear and workable definitions, a risk-based approach, adequate time and the right level of regulatory certainty if the bioenergy sector is to successfully operationalise the resulting requirements.
While the EU maintains that ethanol has a role to play in Europe’s shift to clean transport, the production of ethanol is damaging the environment and hurting local communities in South America, argues Audrey Changoe.
Both tenants and homeowners need to be involved in renovation programmes to bring Europe's ageing building stock in line with its climate goals. Energy cooperatives could be one way to encourage citizens' support, writes Ciarán Cuffe.
Energy prices are soaring and the Commission in its recent communication confirms its determination to stick to its proposed Fit-for-55-package. It concludes that “the clean energy transition is the best insurance against price shocks like the one the EU is facing today”.
The UN says reducing emissions isn’t enough to avoid the worst impacts of climate change – Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) will need to be part of the solution.
The European Commission has proposed a coherent strategic approach and strong policy framework to meet the targets of the EU Climate Law. However, technical details for biofuels risk undermining the overall goal of a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Ylwa …
The announcement of the package to become fit for 55% CO2 reduction by 2030 was unusual. It took Commission President Ursula von der Leyen longer to come to the press room than ever before. Clearly, a sign that the decision …
The European Commission's approach to using forest wood for energy could prove a faux pas ahead of the COP26 UN climate summit in November, a dangerous move which contradicts the findings of the EU executive's own research department, writes Peg Putt.
Looking at EU member states’ National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) for 2030, the European Union is far from harvesting its full solar potential, writes Aurélie Beauvais.
The Netherlands is a world leader in EV charging infrastructure, thanks partly to their use of multipliers – a statistical method that encourages the use of renewable energy in transport. But the European Commission's decision to eliminate multipliers for electricity will destroy the successful Dutch model, argues William Todts.
If the Europe Union doesn’t want an explosion in the amount of wood being harvested for “renewable heat”, it’s essential that the bugs in the Renewable Energy Directive are fixed, write Samuel Thomas, Dominic Scott and Dr Jan Rosenow.
In its new Net Zero scenario, the International Energy Agency (IEA) maps a 60% increase in bioenergy by 2050. But Swapping burning wood for burning coal won’t save the climate, warns Peg Putt.
Transport is responsible for more than 25% of CO2 emissions worldwide and consumes almost 50% of the world’s oil production. The Green Deal calls on transport emissions to fall by 90% by 2050. Without the transport sector bearing its fair …
Green electricity seems set to be the transport fuel of the future, but an unwillingness to look beyond the internal combustion engine has led to a focus on biofuels. The EU should allow fuel suppliers to meet environmental targets with renewable electricity, writes Geert De Cock.
Geothermal energy provides a multitude of answers to rapid, cost-effective and large-scale switch to renewable heating, cooling and electricity. Philippe Dumas, Secretary General of EGEC, outlines the five steps needed from the Fit for 55% package to unlock this abundant energy source located all across the EU.
In the High Coast area of Sweden lies a company committed to tackling climate change by making use of the residues from the forestry industry. With a unique technology ready for scaling up, Sekab will revolutionize the way we look …
Uniquely placed to cut emissions in many sectors − and enable greater use of renewables − carbon capture and storage (CCS) needs more political backing if we are to stand any chance of reaching net-zero emissions. Kenji Terasawa is the President …
