IrBEA welcomes Minister Ryan’s EU intervention on biofuel feedstock sustainability and traceability but must be followed with robust actions and measures
For Immediate Release:
18/10/2024
The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) welcomes the intervention this week by Minister for Transport, Eamon Ryan T.D. at the EU Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council where he called for concerted EU action to examine imported biofuels which would “help address fraud in the sector and provide a level playing pitch for indigenous biofuel supply across all member states.” Swift and robust Irish and EU action is needed immediately which would prevent fraud, verify sustainability, traceability and help indigenous biofuel production In Ireland and across all member states.
Seán Finan, Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) CEO said: “We welcome Minister Ryan’s intervention on the issue of biofuel feedstock sustainability and traceability. His intervention at the EU council was immediately supported by Ministers from Germany, Netherlands, and Belgium. This signifies the broader EU concerns relating to this matter. However, this is only a first step and starting point compared to what is needed. IrBEA calls for Minister Ryan’s intervention to be followed by swift and robust actions at political, policy and regulatory levels in Ireland, across the EU and globally to tackle the issue. This is needed to ensure a long term and successful future for the Irish biofuels sector which currently contributes to over 90% of the decarbonisation efforts of the transport sector here.”
Issues of sustainability and traceability within the biofuel’s feedstock supply chain beyond the EU’s borders requires a transnational response. The longer we wait for action to be taken the more this is impacting on the credibility of the broader biofuels sector and the viability & legitimacy of businesses in the sector who operate to the highest standards of sustainability and traceability.
Finan continued: “Imports of biofuel feedstocks into the EU with questionable sustainability credentials must be stopped immediately until a full investigation takes place and their sustainability and traceability status verified. Member states like Ireland and the EU commission itself can no longer ignore the issue which needs to be tackled with immediate measures to monitor and regulate the sector. IrBEA members call for Ireland to immediately act to apply a code for better sourcing of biofuel feedstocks. We cannot afford to wait for Brussels to do this. The future and viability of both Irish and EU indigenous liquid and gaseous biofuel production is at risk for as long as the sustainability and traceability issue associated with some non-EU derived feedstocks exist. Addressing this issue will help ensure a level playing field for the indigenous biofuel industry.”
The efforts to develop an Irish biogas/biomethane industry as set out in the recently published biomethane strategy are under threat if this issue is not tackled. Indigenously produced biogases will not be able to compete in the market with liquid fuels derived from feedstock with questionable traceability and sustainability credentials.
Finan concluded: “The strategic threat to the Irish bioliquid and biomethane sectors and risk posed by non-EU biofuel feedstock sustainability is not recognised, understood and acknowledged by many stakeholders here. Hydro Treated Vegetable Oil (HVO) produced from fully traceable and sustainable feedstock and other liquid and gaseous biofuels have a significant part to play in the Irish transport decarbonisation agenda. However, biofuels produced from unsustainable and untraceable non-EU derived feedstock cannot be allowed to enter the market at the expense of and displace other full regulated, legitimate and traceable liquid and gaseous biofuels. These biofuels include biodiesel (FAME), HVO, biogas/biomethane and ethanol produced to the highest standards of sustainability and traceability.”
ENDS.
For Further Information Contact: Seán Finan IrBEA CEO on 087 4146480
