Opinion

UKPIA welcomes plans for Low Carbon Fuels Strategy

Welcoming the DfT’s launch of the Low Carbon Fuels Strategy Call for Ideas, UKPIA has emphasised its support for a comprehensive strategy on low carbon fuels that can give a clear, positive signal for investment in these fuels that offer the potential for early decarbonisation of existing vehicles and aviation and will be essential to meet net zero by 2050.

Low carbon fuels have already contributed to reduced emissions in the UK with the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation mandating biofuels be blended into road fuels that reduced overall emissions equivalent to over two million cars in 2019. The introduction of E10 petrol last September in Great Britain is expected to reduce emissions equivalent to an additional 350 thousand cars being taken off the road.

An indication of acceptance of a wide range of solutions

“DfT, the Climate Change Committee, and others, have rightly acknowledged the necessity for the aviation sector to adopt low carbon fuels in the form of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) to decarbonise.  However, we believe that investing now in low carbon fuels is a no-regret option for policymakers looking to reduce emissions for all transport modes given their proven ability to decarbonise existing fleets.

There are challenges ahead, with no producer yet able to offer 100% SAF, while competition for limited sustainable feedstocks means there may need to be prioritisation of waste and biomass use. We trust that the Strategy which follows this Call for Ideas will be able to address these issues and will create a policy framework that is truly technology-neutral, rewards investments that can reduce carbon across their lifetime, and can allow the UK to become a world leader in low carbon fuel production.”