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| Monday 24 June 2002 |
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4MTBE - an alternative fuel to help Europe meet its energy challenge |
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MTBE should be considered an alternative fuel by itself. It derives from natural gas (methanol and field butane), which has been recognised by the EU Commission as one of the key alternative sources of energy to be developed in the future. It is available today, at no extra development cost, to fuel traditional vehicles. |
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In a context of increasing demand for road transport, reduction of EU oil production over the next 20-30 years and commitment to reduce greenhouse gases emissions under the Kyoto Protocol, Europe faces a major challenge to build a coherent energy policy. To launch the debate, the European Commission published in December 2000 a Green Paper titled "Towards a European strategy for the security of energy supply". This paper sets the objective to achieve 20% substitution of fuels by alternatives in the road transport sector by 2020. In November 2001, the Commission published a Communication on alternative fuels for road transport as well as two directive proposals designed to promote the use of biofuels, which were identified as the first step towards the 2020 target.
EFOA is involved as a stakeholder in this debate, and the biofuels directive proposals are discussed in detail in the latest issue of our Newsletter, available on this site.
Today the European Commission has initiated a review to identify which other alternative fuels are available and what measures should be taken to develop them. MTBE can play an important role in this context. Natural gas, one of the main alternative sources of energy contemplated in the European Commission Green Paper, is also the raw material for the production of MTBE, through methanol and field butane. Thus the same natural gas, that will enable future vehicles to run on specifically-designed engines tomorrow, is available today, at no extra development cost, to fuel traditional vehicles.
MTBE is already added to petrol to produce environmentally-friendlier fuel. It should also be considered an alternative fuel by itself.
EFOA, 24th June 2002 |
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