G7 Climate: even biofuels to decarbonise the car

The importance of the role of biofuels in the decarbonisation of the automotive sector, in view of the appointment of 2035 on the overcoming of diesel and petrol engines in new cars, is highlighted in the conclusions of the G7 summit for Climate, Energy and Ambiente which was held in Sapporo Japan. Biofuels, of which Italy is a producer, are associated with synthetic fuels in the final statement which highlights “the opportunities that these offer to contribute to a strong decarbonisation of the auto sector”. This is an important acknowledgment for the discussion on the subject between Italy and the EU. Each of us is committed to pursuing policies and investments to ensure that our efforts to decarbonise our vehicle fleet are in line with the trajectories needed to maintain a 1.5 °C at hand and are consistent with environmental and climate integrity.” “In this context – it is written in the final text – we highlight the various actions that each of us is taking to decarbonise our vehicle fleet, including national policies designed to achieve 100% or massive penetration of light vehicle sales (LDV ) such as ZEV by 2035 and beyond; achieve 100% electrified vehicles in new passenger car sales by 2035; promote associated infrastructure and sustainable zero-emission fuels, including sustainable bio- and synthetic fuels. offered by these policies to contribute to a highly decarbonised road sector, including progress towards more than 50% share of zero-emission LDVs sold globally by 2030.” Italy is a producer of biofuels but in the recent discussion on the negotiation with Brussels, for the regulation on the stop from 2035 for new cars of petrol and diesel engines, it has not managed to have them included among the neutral fuels. Among these, instead, synthetic fuels produced in Germany were considered. In both cases, these are fuels that can be substantially used with current engines. Just recently, the European commissioner Kadri Simson confirmed that she had addressed the issue with the Italian environment minister Gilberto Pichetto, stating that the discussions between the various countries are also continuing for an implementation of the agreement.

Pichetto, G7 opens up on biofuels, EU dialogue restarts

“I believe that as of tomorrow it will be necessary to restart the dialogue with European countries in order to arrive at the best solutions with certain scientific data: biofuels will be able to replace petrol and diesel and keep the Italian car industry alive”. Thus the Minister of the Environment Gilberto Pichetto to Ansa on the results of the G7 Climate and Energy: “The battle that the Government has waged so far in Europe, together with the ministers Salvini and Urso, is testimony to this and the openness of the G7 countries leave let us hope that the results that Italy wants to achieve represent international objectives for the protection of the automotive supply chain”. In fact, Minister Pichetto points out that among the points “that we wanted and that we appreciate” there is “the recognition, in the transport sector, of routes that enhance the specificity of the various countries, including, for Italy, the use of sustainable biofuels, towards the ambitious common goal of decarbonisation in one of the most difficult sectors”.