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Fossil Fuels Possibly Replaced by Alternative Fuels by 2050

A report presented to the European Commission by a stakeholder expert group on future transport fuels claims that alternative fuels have the potential to replace fossil energy sources and make transport sustainable by 2050.

Expected transport energy demand could be met through a combination of electricity from batteries or hydrogen/fuel cells, and biofuels, using synthetic fuels from renewable resources as a bridging option, methane as a complementary fuel and lpg autogas as a supplement. European Commission vice president Siim Kallas, responsible for transport, said: “If we are to achieve a truly sustainable transport, then we will have to consider alternative fuels. For this, we need to take into account the needs of all transport modes.”

The report will feed into the commission’s initiative on clean transport systems to be launched later this year. The initiative intends to develop a long-term strategy for meeting the energy demands of the transport sector from alternative and sustainable sources by 2050. Siim Kallas said: “Alternative fuels are the solution to decarbonised transport by gradually substituting fossil energy sources. Technical and economic viability, efficient use of primary energy sources and market acceptance, however, will be decisive for a competitive acquisition of market share by the different fuels and vehicle technologies.”

Fuel demand and greenhouse gas challenges will most likely require a mix of fuels that can be produced from a variety of primary energy sources. The commission says there is broad agreement that all sustainable fuels will be needed to fully meet the expected demand.

Fuels with higher energy density are more suited to longer-distance operations, such as road freight transport, maritime transport and aviation. The compatibility of new fuels with current technologies and infrastructure, or the need for disruptive system changes, will be taken as important factors in determining the economics of the different options by the commission.

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