Criticism of the federal government's stance on biofuels

05/22/2023

Source: Energy & Management Powernews

The Bavarian state government is calling on the federal government to do more for biofuels and the rapid development of a hydrogen infrastructure.

Nationwide, a uniform approach to the approval process for hydrogen refueling stations is lacking, criticizes Bavaria's Minister of Economic Affairs Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters). Therefore, the "State Agency for Energy and Climate Protection" (Lenk) has now gone ahead and developed a corresponding guide, which is to provide answers to many questions around the topic. "With this, we are creating a basis for a standardized procedure and facilitating the further development of the hydrogen infrastructure," Aiwanger is quoted as saying in a statement from his ministry.

As it further states, the paper provides a technical overview of the different types of hydrogen refueling stations as well as the classification of hydrogen in terms of how it is produced and its physical state. The focus is on the necessary approval procedures for hydrogen refueling stations, taking into account other aspects such as building and water law, nature conservation and noise emissions.

In contrast to the approval guide for hydrogen refueling stations published by the National Organization for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH), the Lenk guidebook also takes into account state-specific regulations as well as the combination with electrolyzers, it adds.

The guide, titled "Approval Guide for Hydrogen Filling Stations (Gas Filling Plants) in the State of Bavaria" , is available for download on Lenk's website.

"Don't Block Reasonable Solutions"

Another energy issue close to Aiwanger's heart is the use of biofuels. In the transport sector in particular, there has been a great need for action for years to reduce CO2 emissions, he notes. The way to achieve this could be through greater use of biofuels. Together with Agriculture Minister Michaela Kaniber (CSU), he is calling on the federal government to do more to promote biofuels.

In the context he criticized particularly the planned Aus for biofuels from corn and rape. That would set back climate protection in transport by years. "Advanced biofuels from residual and waste materials are important for the energy transition. But they cannot yet replace the large volume of biofuels from food and feed crops," Aiwanger said. In view of the ambitious goals in the transport sector, all options must have their place, he said: Biofuels, electromobility, hydrogen and also synthetic fuels.

Michaela Kaniber pointed out that Bavaria has been advocating so-called "paraffinic diesel", a synthetic fuel produced from vegetable oils, waste and residual materials, in the Bundesrat for years. She also criticized the federal government's proposal to completely phase out the blending of biofuels from food and feed crops by 2030 at the latest. "The traffic lights must not block reasonable and obvious solutions simply for ideological reasons."

Author: Günter Drewnitzky