Agro Napló • 2023. február 1. 11:16
Commenting on the current debate on the future of biofuels, which was initiated by Federal Minister for Agriculture Cem Özdemir and Federal Minister for the Environment Steffi Lemke, Dr. Tobias Ehrhard, Managing Director of the VDMA Agricultural Machinery Industry Association, says:
"The push to lower the biofuel quota to zero by 2030 ignores the reality of the energy and transport transition. Biofuels are a key element in the energy mix of the future, because they stand for sustainability, climate protection, regional production and, not least, the idea of a circular economy. This makes them an indispensable factor both ecologically and economically – for agriculture, but also for the mobility sector as a whole. After all, the ambitious emission reduction targets cannot be achieved at all without blending biofuel.
In the so-called plate-tank debate, too, differentiation and a sense of proportion must be applied: As is well known, there are also significant synergy effects here, for example with regard to the by-product 'protein-containing press cake' for animal feed, which makes energy-intensive soy imports from third countries obsolete. If one also takes into account the fact that internal combustion engines will continue to be absolutely necessary in agricultural technology in the future, one can summarize: No tank, no plate!
In the future, however, we will need even more: what is required is a clear roadmap for alternative fuels in agriculture and beyond. It is important to consider all available options in an open-minded manner and not to prematurely exclude individual energy sources.
Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils (HVO) are proving to be a particularly promising solution for the future and should soon be available at the pump in pure form, called HVO 100, as a substitute for fossil diesel fuel.
Cars, trucks and mobile machinery could be operated on a virtually CO2-neutral basis – a double benefit for the environment, as existing fleets could continue to be used in an environmentally friendly way and resources could be conserved.
Developments in the field of alternative fuels are currently very dynamic, the opportunities are enormous, and they have long been exploited, particularly in the European and global context. Therefore, federal policy is also called upon to ensure that HVO 100 becomes a marketable option as quickly as possible. As part of an intelligent roadmap for tomorrow's drive system. Because this much is certain: Without a reliable, legally secure framework for the energy mix of the future, we are blocking environmental protection and economic clout in equal measure."