The European Union is attempting to ban crop-based biofuels as a feedstock for sustainable aviation fuel.
Renewable Fuels Association CEO Geoff Cooper tells Brownfield the EU recently adopted a regulation with the goal of rapidly expanding the use of SAF in the European market.
“On its face you’d look at that and say ‘boy that’s great, that could really be an opportunity for ethanol producers in Europe and here in the U.S. as well.’ But the problem is, within that regulation the European Commission is also explicitly banning the use of any crop-based biofuel.”
He says that’s inconsistent with other EU transportation regulations that recognize the carbon benefits of biofuels like ethanol.
“We really scratch our heads when we look at the fact that the Europeans are saying on one hand ‘crop-based biofuels are great for on-road use, but we’re not going to allow them in aviation.’ And we think there’s just a real, a real problem with that. And that’s why we’re taking that program on.”
U.S. and European ethanol leaders are challenging the regulation, which Cooper says would set a horrible precedent.