Germany to Allow Sale of Biofuels Made from Used Cooking Oil
Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV) has announced that petrol stations will soon be allowed to sell paraffinic diesel fuels as pure fuels. These fuels, made from used cooking oil, have significantly lower CO2 emissions than conventional diesel made from petroleum. The government has also decided to end the promotion of paraffinic fossil diesel fuels based on gas to promote climate protection. According to Judith Skudelny of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), this move will significantly increase the sustainability of transportation. She said, “It is clear that we want to have these 100% sustainable fuels. It has the potential to make transportation climate-neutral, even in the existing fleet.”
To minimize the risk of vehicle damage due to misfuelling, the regulation requires petrol station operators to inform customers about the new biofuel. According to Elmar Baumann, Managing Director of the Association of German Biofuel Industry (VDB), biodiesel reduces CO2 emissions by 70 to 90% compared to fossil diesel. The VDB welcomed this development, saying, “With this decision, the federal government is paving the way for more climate protection in transportation. In 2030 and beyond, more than 30 million cars with internal combustion engines will still be on German roads. Only low-CO2 fuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transportation.”
Karsten Schulze, Technical President of the ADAC, also praised the decision as a significant step towards achieving climate protection goals. He emphasized that now automakers are required to design their new vehicles for the use of diesel made from used cooking oil. The compatibility of older vehicle models should also be checked. However, the possibility for drivers to use biofuels made from used cooking oil nationwide is uncertain. The BMUV explained that there is not enough used cooking oil available in Germany for all cars. A spokesperson said that used cooking oils, such as those generated in the gastronomy sector, are already fully used as additives in the transportation sector and cannot be increased. However, Skudelny suggested that imports are possible. “Of course, it’s nice if we use our own fats for this, but there are large refineries internationally.”
