The EU's 2035 car law is facing a controversial proposal that could have a massive impact on the environment. Here's the catch: the oil lobby wants to include a loophole for biofuels, which could result in a staggering 120 pigs being needed for every car running on animal fats!
This proposal, backed by the fuels and cars industries, aims to extend the sale of new combustion engines powered by biofuels beyond the 2035 zero-emission car deadline. But here's where it gets controversial: this loophole could lead to a significant increase in the demand for biofuels from waste feedstocks, such as animal fats, used cooking oil, and palm oil by-products. And this demand is not sustainable.
According to T&E analysis, a car running on animal fats would require the equivalent of 120 pigs per year. This additional demand could cause cars, planes, and ships to consume two to nine times more advanced biofuels than what can be sustainably sourced in the future. The EU is already under pressure to allow this, with the Italian government supporting the idea.
Lucien Mathieu, T&E's cars director, criticizes this push for biofuels, stating that it's absurd. He argues that Europeans can't consume enough pork or fries to sustainably fuel even a small portion of Europe's cars, let alone ships and planes. The question arises: why are these industries promoting non-solutions when electric cars are a proven technology?
The issue with advanced biofuels is their lack of scalability. Europe already imports over 80% of its used cooking oil from countries like China and Malaysia. Animal fats are a popular waste feedstock, and European cars currently consume 1.3 million tonnes of animal fats annually, equivalent to 200 million slaughtered pigs. The analysis reveals that each new car running on animal fats would require around 120 pigs per year. Alternatively, a car running on used cooking oil would need 25 kg of fries daily.
This loophole could create a substantial gap between the demand and supply of sustainably sourced biofuels, increasing Europe's reliance on imports. T&E estimates that 60% of Europe's biofuels, including crop-based and advanced types, are already imported from third countries. With the extra demand from cars, this figure could soar to 90% by 2050.
The increased reliance on biofuel imports also raises concerns about fraud. Previous investigations by T&E have uncovered discrepancies in waste biofuel imports, indicating potential fraud. For instance, Europe imports three times more used cooking oil from Malaysia than the country can collect. In another case, Europe imports more palm oil mill effluent, a byproduct, than the global supply.
Recently, the German car lobby VDA, along with CLEPA and 28 fuel companies and associations, urged the EU Commission to consider vehicles running on biofuels as zero-emission after 2035. The European carmaker association ACEA has also advocated for a flexible implementation of rules to allow new cars powered by carbon-neutral fuels after the 2035 deadline.
This proposal sparks a crucial debate: should we prioritize the interests of certain industries over the environment? Are we willing to risk the sustainability of our planet for short-term gains? The decision will shape Europe's energy future and its competitiveness in the global EV market. What do you think? Is this loophole a necessary compromise or a dangerous precedent?
