EU Commission sets out future steps in bio-waste management in the European Union

On 18th May 2010 the European Commission released a Communication with reference COM(2010)235 final to the Council and the European Parliament on future steps in bio-waste management in the European Union (see below).  "In the EU between 118 and 138 million tonnes of bio-waste are produced every year, of which about 88 million tonnes is municipal waste. It is projected to increase on average by 10% by 2020" the Communication says.

"On the EU average 40% of bio-waste is still landfilled (up to 100% in some Member States). However, landfilling (1) invokes major environmental risks such as emissions of greenhouse gases and pollution of soil and groundwater and, (2) withdraws valuable resources (compost, energy) irrevocably from economic and natural cycles" (see art. 1, p. 2). 

The Commission Communication now accentuates “that improved management of bio-waste in the EU holds an untapped potential for significant environmental and economic benefits” (see art. 8, p. 10). “About one-third of the EU's 2020 target for renewable energy in transport could be met by using biogas produced from bio-waste, while around 2% of the EU's overall renewable energy target could be met if all bio-waste was turned into energy” (see art. 5, p. 5).
However, bio-waste covers only a small portion of the total biomethane potential. The EU definition of bio-waste does e.g. not include manure based biomethane (provides the highest GHG avoidance of all biomethane options with up to 148%), gas made from other agricultural resources, forest waste or biodegradable waste such as sewage sludge. In detail, bio-waste as defined in the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) only includes garden and park waste, food and kitchen waste from households, restaurants, caterers and retail premises as well as comparable waste from food processing plants.

NGVA Europe welcomes that this Communication promotes actions to unlock the potential for a better managing of bio-waste in the EU by making the best use of existing legislation giving Member States the discretion to choose the options best suited to their individual circumstances. But supporting initiatives at EU level will be necessary. Especially the great advantages of natural gas and biomethane as a fuel require more political support. 

There might be different fuel solutions for different transport applications in the remote future, but mature CNG technology, now also LNG technology, offers the best immediate alternative to decarbonise transport rapidly until 2020.

In particular biomethane has strong advantages, especially in comparison to other biofuels:

• Domestic biomass production creates jobs in rural areas as added value stays in Europe
• European production under strict sustainability criteria avoids conflicts with food production
• Much higher efficiency of biomass usage, more “kilometres yielded per hectare”
• Adequate and growing amounts available for significant share in road transport
• Easy and efficient distribution via existing gas pipeline network
• No technical limits in admixture, flexible path from 0 to 100% biofuel blend possible
• Highest well-to-wheel CO2 reduction of all current fuels
• Least soot (PM) and NOx emissions of all fuel alternatives

NGVA Europe main postulations for NG/biomethane in transport

The political framework in the EU still not provides adequate support for this clean and sustainable fuel option. Its full potential could not develop yet. NGVA Europe therefore seeks support of the EU political institutions for the following main postulations:

1. The positive aspects of biomethane in comparison to other biofuels are not sufficiently reflected in current regulation. Tax and quota trading schemes need to reflect the positive “well-to-wheel” balance, the sustainability as well as the high primary energy efficiency of natural gas and biomethane.
2. Car manufacturers so far receive no incentives to market clean CNG vehicles. Special bonus schemes, i.e. special CO2 fleet average credits for OEMs producing CNG vehicles, need to be introduced. 
3. Specific investments for the development of an infrastructure for gaseous fuels need special support. Safeguarding and extending existing tax exemptions for NG/biomethane in EU member states are therefore key requirements.
4. The current procurement directive set by the EU supports the purchase of clean vehicles. However, it does not reflect the positive effect of the “well-to-wheel” balance of alternative fuels. Particularly vehicles running on NG/biomethane reduce the overall CO2 emissions significantly. They are in spite of this only measured by their tailpipe emissions. Fleet owners thus receive no incentives to run vehicles on NG/biomethane.
   comment: The basic flaw with the green procurement directive is that life time vehicle costs include fuel costs calculated as the cost of energy valued at diesel or gasoline (cheapest alternative) prices EXCLUDING tax. In practise this means that the tax advantages granted to support more environmental friendly fuels are brushed aside. In practise the costs for a gas powered vehicle will, with this methodology, not be able to compete with the costs of a diesel powered vehicle.

There is a huge market potential for CNG and LNG powered vehicles in Europe, also thanks to various mass-produced models from leading European manufacturers that are already available in the European marketplace, for both private and commercial use.

It is now up to the political framework whether NG/biomethane as a transport fuel becomes a success in Europe. The NGV technology is fully developed and should play a vital role in the European transport and environment policy of today and in the future, in order to help making European transport greener.

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Terminology:

CNG - Compressed Natural Gas

LNG - Liquefied Natural Gas

NGV - Natural Gas Vehilce

NG/biomethnane - Natural Gas and biomethane as a fuel

Note: When NGVA Europe uses the terms CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) or LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas), this always and automatically also comprehends compressed or liquefied biomethane. But to simplify matters, NGVA Europe mostly makes reference to the commonly used terms CNG and LNG only. The European Emission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 issued on July 18, 2008, consequently uses the term NG/biomethane when describing the fuel used in NGVs (Natural Gas Vehilces). NGVA Europe follows the same principle.

COM (210)235 final "Future steps in bio-waste management in the European Union"

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COM (210)235 final "Future steps in bio-waste management in the European Union".pdf

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