- Commission wants to ban SynFuels from industrial CO2
- Agreement on partial oil embargo: embarrassment averted
- Russia halts gas supplies to Germany and Denmark
- Draghi: Commission has been given mandate to examine gas price cap
- EU and African Union warn of grain crisis
- Manfred Weber elected EPP chairman
- Denmark votes on EU cooperation on defense issues
- Opinion: Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff (WV Stahl) – CBAM and ETS reform jeopardize the transformation of the steel sector
It hardly comes as a surprise that Manfred Weber will head the EPP in the future considering he was the only candidate in the running. Last night, he was elected president of Europe’s largest party family. Weber says about himself that he is European “through and through”. However, there is speculation as to whether the new post could be just a stopover on his way back to Bavaria. Read more in the News.
In some circles, Synthetic fuels are seen as a promising alternative to electric propulsion. However, new sustainability requirements from the Commission could make one of the poster children for technology openness much more expensive. Manuel Berkel has tracked down the crucial criterion and analyzed how the Commission is trimming the whole idea of carbon usage.
The European Union has remained “united, which is extremely important at this time,” said the prime minister of Slovakia, Eduard Heger, about the oil embargo that has now been decided. Along with Hungary and the Czech Republic, Slovakia is one of the countries benefiting from the exemption for pipeline oil. German Economic Affairs Minister Robert Habeck, on the other hand, speaks of a “scramble” over the sixth sanctions package, under which Europe’s resolve has suffered. Lukas Scheid has captured reactions from the political and commercial sectors to the “embargo light” – as well as estimates of how severe an impact this embargo can actually have on Russia.
While the EU is still busy with the oil embargo, the number of countries affected by a gas supply stop from Russia continues to grow. As of today, according to Gazprom, the Danish supplier Orsted is to have its gas tap turned off, as is Shell Energy Europe – because of supplies to Germany.
Sarah Schaefer
Feature
Commission wants to ban SynFuels from industrial CO2
For a long time, the idea was considered a future pillar of a climate-neutral industrial society: CO2 could be captured, and the carbon used to produce synthetic fuels. If these were burned, the CO2 cycle could start all over again. Carbon utilization is the name of the game, and for a long time, industrial emissions were considered the best source. The high CO2 concentration in the exhaust gases was supposed to keep the costs of capture in check, and in addition, process emissions were still widely regarded as unavoidable. However, even before carbon usage really gets rolling, the Commission wants to put an expiration date on the concept.
From 2036, carbon is to be allowed to come only from the air, natural geological sources, or the combustion of biofuels, liquid biofuels, or biomass. So says a hitherto little-noticed passage of a delegated act of the EU Commission on green hydrogen – more precisely, in the annex to the methodology by which the carbon footprint of recycled carbon-based fuels is calculated (Europe.Table reported). In non-EU jargon, they are often also called synthetic fuels or SynFuels.
Investors need sustainable CO2 sources
According to the Commission’s plans, CO2 from industrial waste gases may only be used in the production of these synthetic fuels until 2035 – at least if the plants are subject to emissions trading. The Commission is consulting on the draft legislation until June 17. If it adopts the rules as they stand, this would have far-reaching consequences for the industry.
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