The EU has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions towards carbon neutrality by 2050, also dictating specific reduction targets and a roadmap for each transport mode based on its peculiarities.
For each transportation mode, new propulsion technologies and sustainable fuels will play a crucial role in supporting the targets set for each category. Sustainable fuel solutions are based around bio and e-fuels which are common to all transportation categories, with varying technology readiness levels, requirements and fuel maturity within each mode.
Taking a closer view on Aviation, clear targets have been set with ReFuelEU mandating continuously increasing levels of blending from 2025 onwards via a combination of Bio-based and synthetic SAF. Bio-based SAF will lead scale-up efforts with synthetic SAF having lower TRL and higher-production costs. The mandate will require an equal distribution between bio and synthetic SAF by 2050 due to feedstock availability constraints surrounding bio-based scale-up with synthetic SAF being required therefore to achieve targets.
Shipping plays a significant role in decarbonizing the transportation sector and is also subject to EU scrutiny. The FuelEU Maritime initiative targets will ensure that GHG intensity of fuels used in the sector will gradually decrease almost entirely by 2050. Here again, a combination of sustainable fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and biofuels are being explored to meet IMO targets.
Among other transportation modes and related infrastructure, sustainable fuel production will rely on an assortment of feedstocks including bio-based, waste and residues, hydrogen, CO2 and others.
While the potential for sustainable fuels in Europe is significant, several challenges must be addressed. These include high upfront investments and scale to drive down the yet high production costs, limited infrastructure, and the need for supportive regulatory frameworks. Collaborative efforts among governments, industry stakeholders, and research institutions are vital for overcoming these hurdles. Public-private partnerships can drive investment in R&D, infrastructure development, and market incentives, accelerating the transition to sustainable fuels across all transport sectors.
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