Home » Green cars, no to biofuels, but for Italy it’s half a victory

Green cars, no to biofuels, but for Italy it’s half a victory

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The text about the green car

No opening to Italy. On green cars, the European Union bows to the German will and replies with a “no” to Rome’s requests. The new text on the stop to polluting cars from 2035with attached the declaration of the EU Commission on the e-fuels object of the compromise with Berlin (and not also with biofuels as requested by the Italian government), got the green light in Coreper I framework, the meeting of the Deputy Permanent Representatives of the 27. And this time the votes against from Italy and Poland and the abstentions from Romania and Bulgaria did not help to reject the regulation. In fact, the four countries, without Berlin, are not a blocking minority as they do not represent 35% of the total EU population. Now all we have to do is wait for the green light, granted, foreseen in the context of the Energy Council.

However, Rome pointed out that the European procedural rules Frthey would revise a 14-day deadline for a new item to be included without discussion on the Council’s agenda. Hence the request for the approval not to be included on the agenda. In response, European sources specified that the Member States, in the Energy Council they will be free to intervene and make observations ain the light of the statement on e-fuels attached by the Commission. A discussion therefore with a substantially obvious outcome.

Defeat? No, a first win

So a defeat? In the government there are those who see it differently. “At the moment we can say that the derogation on the endothermic engine has passed. It was one of the points we had placed on the automotive table – he said the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto. – We will see about biofuels”. “The regulation is closed, and provides for internal combustion engines with e-fuels – he added. – We are trying to discuss to have an opening on the Preamble, which means setting the points for new developments. We will have e-fuels in 10 years, we have biofuels now. The match is open, tonight I’m going to Brussels for this”.

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Of the same opinion the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. “We have achieved one thing on cars, a road has opened up, thanks to the wake-up call we have given Europe, for the protection of the endothermic engine which is extremely important for our entire automotive supply chain – said Urso. – We will see tomorrow, in the coming days, weeks and months, why a path has begun that must lead to technological neutrality”. “Many looked at the finger, i.e. the fuel – concluded the minister -, we see the moon, i.e. the internal combustion engine that must and can survive”.

A vision shared by Massimo Artusi, vice president of Federauto, with responsibility for Trucks&Vans. “The European decision to give endothermic engines for cars and vans a future, envisaging their use with synthetic fuels beyond 2035, represents ana important and positive strategic choice, which overcomes the mistaken logic of entrusting the future of mobility only to electric vehicles Artusi said. – “Now the EU Council cannot set aside biofuels from renewable sources, which, even more than e-Fuels, ensure a completely neutral carbon footprint”. According to Artusi, “to include e-fuels, but not bio-fuels, would ultimately represent an incomprehensible choice on a technical, environmental and functional level, considering that the real target of European regulation on energy transition is decarbonisation” .

But among insiders there are those who underline how this Italian defeat in Brussels on biofuels is the result of a series of factors including the diminishing force of an increasingly less national automotive industry. While in Germany the government’s action was supported by car manufacturers such as weight Vorlkswagen, Bmw e Mercedes) who have repeatedly confirmed the production of endothermic engines even after 2035, in our country, which although it represents 20 percent of the fleet on the road, has lacked this conviction in a Stellar increasingly French traction pressed by the intransigence of Macron in favor of the electric and from the expectation of the incentives on the batteries of mega Biden plan in the US.

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And France?

Behind an image of apparent neutrality France is watching the evolution of the debate on e fuel and biofuels with great interest. According to data published by the specialized magazine l’Argus at the end of last year already 36% of service stations which distribute over 500 cubic meters of petroleum products a year they sell E85, the biofuel composed of 85% bio-ethanol and 15% unleaded petrol. The transformation of petrol cars to circulate with E85 (85% bio-ethanol and 15% petrol) requires in France the installation of a special approved box to allow the petrol engine to use either vegetable fuel or that of fossil origin. The operation, depending on the complexity of each individual engine, it can cost between 700 and 1,500 euros. An investment that for motorists translates into nand 40% less greenhouse gas emissions.

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