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ACEA FAQ on biofuels

What are biofuels?


Biofuels are produced from biomass: plant material or biodegradable waste. Presently, the most commonly used biofuels (known collectively as “first-generation biofuels”) are:

  • FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) blended in diesel and produced from either one or a mixture of different vegetable oils such as rape seed oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil or animal fats, and;
  • ethanol blended in petrol (in the EU ethanol is mainly produced from grains with wheat as dominant feedstock, in Brazil the preferred feedstock is sugar cane and in the USA this is corn).

Note that ACEA advises vehicle owners not to use pure vegetable oil in their engines.
 
Biofuels play a significant role in reducing CO2-emissions and they can be produced in a sustainable and sensible way on an industrial basis. Currently, EU legislation is being prepared to lay down sustainability criteria for all biofuels and renewable energy pathways.

In the EU, diesel and petrol may contain up to 5% FAME and ethanol respectively. Such blends are referred to by using acronyms, i.e. B5 for 5% FAME blended into diesel and E5 for 5% ethanol blended into petrol. The neat biofuels (i.e. 100% FAME or 100% ethanol) are governed by their own international quality standards.

The next step will be the introduction of “second-generation” biofuels onto the market and research & development is currently underway to make their production processes commercially viable. Second-generation biofuels are mainly produced from non-food crops, wood or agricultural waste such as straw. Compared to first-generation biofuels, the second generation is expected to save more greenhouse gas emissions. Since second-generation biofuels are essentially a hydrocarbon product, just like petrol and diesel, they will be far more compatible for use in all vehicles.

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Why use biofuels?

Both conventional fossil fuels and biofuels produce CO2 emissions when they are used in an engine. Biofuels, however, are made from plants that absorb CO2 while they grow. The use of biofuels can therefore lead to less greenhouse gas emissions overall than the use of fossil fuels.

Moreover, biofuels can help reduce Europe’s dependency on foreign oil imports - the crops for biofuels can be cultivated in Europe but it is likely that to reach the political targets being discussed in the EU, imports of biomass/biofuels will still be needed.

Blended biofuels can, for the most part, be delivered by the existing fuel infrastructure. Little investment is required compared to other alternative fuels. There may be a need to fine-tune the delivery infrastructure for pure biofuels.

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What do car manufacturers think about biofuels?

The European car manufacturers consider sustainable biofuels an essential part of an integrated approach to reducing CO2 emissions and have invested in engine adjustments to apply both today’s and future, higher, biofuel blends.

Such an ‘integrated approach’ to reduce CO2 emissions combines further improvements in vehicle technology with the use of alternative fuels (including biofuels), improvements in infrastructure and changes in driving style and consumer demand. Biofuels are an indispensable part of this strategy to efficiently cut CO2 emissions from cars.

Biofuels can be used by cars that are already on the roads and can therefore be applied to the vehicle ‘parc’ as a whole, without having to wait for new vehicle technology to dominate the fleet.

Today’s market fuel standards (EN228 and EN590) permit up to 5% ethanol in petrol and 5% FAME in diesel. These components ethanol and FAME are commonly referred to as “first-generation” biofuels, and European cars are capable of operating safely on such blended fuels. However, fuel producers supply fuels to the market that contain nowhere near the 5% permitted level of biofuels. A move to sell petrol and diesel with 5% biofuel could save at least 6 – 12 million tonnes of CO2 per annum.

Vehicle manufacturers want to ensure good performance of vehicles over their whole lifetime, and insist on good quality fuels being available for all vehicles in use. This includes good quality of the biofuel itself and when blended into petrol or diesel.

Many existing cars will experience performance problems if the level of biofuel exceeds the 5% levels. To cater for older vehicles that would not be compatible with these lower blends of biofuels, the ‘first-generation’ fuels of today must remain available at the pump and distinct labelling must be used at all filing stations so drivers know clearly what fuel is suitable for their vehicle.

Despite these concerns, and in order to provide a wider opportunity for sustainable first-generation biofuels, ACEA has announced that by 2010, all new models will be capable of running on petrol containing up to 10% ethanol and diesel containing up to 7% FAME subject to the quality of the pure biofuel and the final fuel blend being ‘fit for purpose’. However, it should be understood that adapting vehicles to higher biofuel blends does present technical challenges and ACEA does not recommend going beyond these levels.

The auto industry requests policy makers to ensure that all initiatives to change fuel standards in the future must be harmonised across the EU to ensure constant fuel quality across internal borders. Moreover, ACEA requests that the EU fuel standards be also applied widely outside the EU.

So-called “second-generation” biofuels can further reduce CO2 emissions and will also solve the technical problems associated with first generation biofuels. Second-generation biofuels are essentially paraffinic hydrocarbons, similar in nature to oil-based hydrocarbons like petrol and diesel. They are mainly produced from non-food crops, wood or agricultural waste such as straw.

Compared to first-generation biofuels, the second generation is expected to be better compatible with car engines and to save more greenhouse gases. When produced from agricultural waste, second-generation biofuels do not require additional land or fertilizers for growing crops. Greenhouse gas emissions from additional fertilizers or potential clearing of CO2-absorbing forests or wetlands can thus be avoided from the beginning.

European automakers conduct research on all alternative fuels, including second-generation biofuels, both individually and through their European Research Council EUCAR. EUCAR has established a working group on fuels, and contributed to the well-to-wheel analysis of biofuels, assessing their overall emissions including production and consumption.

While research on new fuels is crucial, first-generation biofuels will remain a solution for reducing CO2 emissions today, if the right sustainability criteria and robust technical standards are applied.  Much research is still needed to find the best fuel technologies for the future. It cannot be said at this point which one of them will prove to be the most efficient, environmentally friendly and economical. None of the options should be discarded today.

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Can all cars run on biofuels?

The current blends of up to 5% biofuels in diesel and petrol are compatible with existing cars. By 2010, all new European car models will run on B7 and E10.

However, a great number of cars used today will not run properly if fuelled with biofuel blends higher than 5% or on pure biofuels. Biofuels have different chemical and physical attributes than conventional fuels. If engine materials and fuel injection are not adapted to using biofuels or biofuel blends, cars can experience a variety of performance problems or even engine failure. The fuels of today must therefore remain available at the filling station and all fuels should be clearly labelled at the pump so the customer knows what he is buying.

In order to introduce biofuels on a larger scale, more research is needed and being conducted on the effects they can have on exhaust after-treatment systems, such as particulate matter filters and catalytic converters. Clear international standards for biofuel quality (blends and pure biofuels) setting appropriate specifications for all important performance parameters are also required. Some petrol cars, especially older vehicles in use today, cannot adapt to ethanol blends higher than the present maximum of 5% (E5). Using bioethanol in petrol in the form of ETBE (ethyl tert-butyl ether) will solve most of the technical problems mentioned and would make it possible to actually use higher biofuel blends in petrol.

In contrast to today’s biodiesel and bioethanol, cars will run well using higher blends of second-generation biofuels because the quality of advanced biofuels and compatibility with vehicles will be higher.

Pure vegetable oil can severely hamper combustion in an engine or even prevent it altogether. This has in part to do with it being very viscous, which makes it much more difficult to properly inject and combust vegetable oil in a cylinder, especially at low temperatures. Moreover, microbes, which easily grow in vegetable oil, can corrode tanks and prematurely plug fuel filters. This is why ACEA strongly advises against using pure vegetable oil in diesel or other combustion engines, unless they have been appropriately modified.

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The EU wants to add more biofuel to petrol and diesel. Will my car run on higher biofuel blends?

Existing cars have been designed for fuels that meet the standards of the EU Fuels Directive in force (98/70/EC). The Directive provides for a maximum biofuel content of 5% in diesel or petrol. However, in March 2007, the European heads of state agreed to a target of 10% biofuels use in transport by 2020. This target would be achieved by blending higher levels of biofuels in petrol and diesel.

To help achieve this target, ACEA has committed that by 2010, all new European car models will run on B7 or E10.

However, a great number of cars used today will not run properly if fuelled with biofuel blends higher than 5% or on pure biofuels. Biofuels have different chemical and physical attributes than conventional fuels. If engine materials and fuel injection are not adapted to using biofuels or biofuel blends, cars can experience a variety of performance problems or even engine failure. The fuels of today must therefore remain available at the filling station and all fuels should be clearly labelled at the pump so the customer knows what he is buying.

In an engine, unburnt fuels will by-pass the piston rings and enter the lubricating oil in the engine sump. Normally this is not a problem with fuel hydrocarbons joining oil hydrocarbons (and the fuel evaporates). However, with biodiesel, the bio-components in the diesel entering the lubricating oil system will cause degradation in lubricating oil performance which will likely mean more frequent oil drain intervals. The higher the biodiesel blend, the greater the effect - the effect is increased for modern diesel engines that are equipped with particulate filters to meet more stringent emission standards. These filters require regeneration of the collected particulates and those systems using an additional controlled injection of fuel will show additional effects.

Consumers must continue to have access to today’s fuels for some time to come. Retrofitting their engines to be compatible with changes in fuel specifications is not affordable and not justified. The fuels of today should thus stay available, and all fuels should be clearly labelled at the pump.

In contrast to today’s biodiesel and bioethanol, cars will run well using higher blends of second-generation biofuels because the quality of advanced biofuels and compatibility with vehicles will be higher.

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Are biofuels more expensive?

Biofuels are currently more expensive to produce than conventional fuels. Only tax cuts can make their end price competitive in relation to conventional mineral oil fuels. Stable and predictable support policies, including supportive tax policies, are crucial for promoting the further development of biofuels, notably second-generation biofuels that offer better technical compatibility with cars and higher sustainability.

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Is there enough biofuel available in Europe?

Currently, much of the biofuel used in Europe is imported, partly because of trade arrangements and tax policies that favour biofuel imports. Production capacities within the EU could be enlarged in the future to meet growing demand, for instance by using farmland that is currently “set aside” in the framework of the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

Overall, the European Commission has assessed that providing 10% of transport fuels in the form of biofuel by 2020 would “not overly stretch the land availability” in the EU.

It should also be noted that the EU has a surplus of petrol refining capacity and exports a lot of petrol, notably to the USA. The EU has a deficit of diesel and imports a lot. With the high percentage sales of diesel vehicles across the EU, it would make sense to encourage biodiesel to bridge the gap than supplementing an already large pool of petrol with biopetrol.

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Do biofuels really reduce CO2 emissions?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from a fuel depend not only on how it is burnt. In addition to the ‘tank-to-wheel’ emissions from driving a car, there are also “well-to-tank” emissions resulting from fuel production and its transportation to the consumer. Both categories add up to the overall ‘well-to-wheel’ emissions.

Note that the current legislative proposals at EU level talk about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions which are defined as total CO2, nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4), the latter two expressed as CO2-equivalent.

Biofuels are made from (the waste of) plants that absorb CO2 while they grow. The use of biofuels can therefore lead to less greenhouse gas emissions overall than the use of non-replaceable fossil fuels. Depending on the crops and circumstances, CO2 savings can add up from 30 to 70%.  The European Commission’s legislative proposal on promoting the use of renewable energies states that biofuels must result in a saving of at least 35% GHG compared to conventional fuels if they are to receive financial support and to count towards meeting Member States’ GHG reduction targets. The biofuels that are available today can meet those targets. They can and should be produced sustainably and international standards and certification systems will help ensure this further.

The next generation of biofuels, or ‘second generation’ biofuels, will be produced from agricultural waste, their reduction potential is higher and they will be better compatible with existing car technology. It is all the more important that policies at EU and national level support their development. Until advanced biofuels become available, first generation biofuels still have a role to play in reducing CO2 emissions, provided that the right sustainability criteria are applied and that technical problems are addressed.

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Do biofuels threaten food supply and cause a hike in food prices?

The spike in commodity prices is not primarily related to biofuels.  It is more related to crop failures (drought), changes in lifestyle in China and India and other economic reforms (NAFTA) than biofuels growth (Source: OECD and UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2007 Outlook).  In the longer term, increased demand for biofuels and the reduction of food surpluses due to past policy reforms may keep prices above historic equilibrium levels during the next 10 years, but these higher commodity prices should bring economic prosperity to producer countries and lead to investment in farming infrastructure and efficiency improvements denied over the past decade or so. 

The FAO has calculated that today 41.88 million km2 of land are available for agriculture, although just 15.06 million km2 are in use, and only 0.11 million km2 are used for biofuels production today, which is no more than 1 % of the land actually in use.  United Nations figures show there to be around 2 billion hectares of degraded land globally that could be put into production: 25% in Africa, 25% in Asia, 25% in the Americas; the rest scattered around the world in places like Ukraine and Kazakhstan. This is land that has either been used for agriculture then abandoned or has been mismanaged or contaminated. The European Commission indicates that its 10% target could be reached with only 18% of all arable land available in the EU with 4% still under the ‘set-aside’ regime in the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy. 

Nevertheless, sustainability criteria for biofuels must be established to ensure that biofuels are produced without replacing food production. As second-generation biofuels can be made of waste material, their production can complement food production. It will be all the more important to further invest in R&D on these fuels to make them affordable and available on a large scale.

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What is the difference between first and second-generation biofuels?

Biofuels are produced from biomass: plant material or biodegradable waste. Presently, the most commonly used biofuels (known collectively as “first-generation biofuels”) are:

  • FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) blended in diesel and produced from either one or a mixture of different vegetable oils such as rape seed oil, sunflower seed oil, soybean oil or animal fats, and;
  • ethanol blended in petrol (in the EU ethanol is mainly produced from grains with wheat as dominant feedstock, in Brazil the preferred feedstock is sugar cane and in the USA. this is corn).

Note that ACEA advises vehicle owners not to use pure vegetable oil in their engines.

In the EU, conventional diesel and petrol may already contain up to 5% of biodiesel and bioethanol respectively.

More research will be needed to introduce second-generation biofuels to the market. These fuels are mainly produced from non-food crops, wood or agricultural waste such as straw. Compared to first-generation biofuels, the second generation is expected to be better compatible with car engines and to save more greenhouse gases. When produced from agricultural waste, second-generation biofuels do not require additional land or fertilizers for growing crops. Greenhouse gas emissions from additional fertilizers or potential clearing of CO2-absorbing forests or wetlands can thus be avoided from the beginning.

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