Clean fuel standards (CFSs) are regulations which reward or penalise transport fuels based on their lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions — in particular, their emissions with respect to a ‘compliance standard’ which tightens each year. A number of CFSs are already in operation around the world. Our paper published in the journal Energy Policy examines a […]
The EU’s ReFuelEU Aviation and the UK’s SAF Mandate place requirements on fuel suppliers to bring alternative aviation fuels to market. In parallel, financial support for alternative fuels comes from the EU’s reimbursement scheme, which subsidises some fraction of the cost difference paid by airlines, and the UK’s guaranteed strike price (GSP), which shields SAF […]
A report for Rainforest Foundation Norway This report examines the climate and environmental risks associated with biofuel policies in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. While these countries are often recognised as climate leaders, their support for certain biofuel feedstocks, including palm derivatives, used cooking oil, and animal fats, raises concerns about indirect land use change, deforestation, […]
How e-fuels can mitigate biodiversity risk in EU aviation and maritime policy This report, commissioned by Opportunity Green on behalf of the Skies and Seas Hydrogen-fuels Accelerator Coalition (SASHA), explores the biodiversity risks associated with the EU’s efforts to decarbonise aviation and maritime transport. The ReFuelEU Aviation and FuelEU Maritime regulations aim to engender a […]
In this paper for the International Council on Clean Transportation we consider the industrial development implications of the targets for alternative aviation fuel supply that are being introduced throught he UK’s SAF Mandate.
Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), or biodiesel as it is more commonly known, is a diesel substitute produced by reacting methanol with vegetable oil, and is the second most widely used bio-additive in America fuels (behind ethanol added to gasoline). As shown in Figure 1, U.S. biodiesel consumption has increased more than a hundredfold since […]
For over ten years, indirect land use change modeling has been an important part of assessing the environmental impact of U.S. biofuel policy. While several models have been developed to undertake these assessments, notably the FAPRI-FASOM model used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in determining the lifecycle emissions of fuels supported by the Renewable […]
Indirect land use change, often abbreviated to ILUC, refers to the expected expansion of agricultural area (and subsequent release of carbon from biomass and soils) when biofuel policies increase demand for agricultural commodities. In 2008, research led by Tim Searchinger using the FAPRI economic model[1] suggested that accounting for these ILUC emissions might eliminate the […]
…you’ll never believe the regulatory mistakes the EU is at risk of making in the RED II* In a blog post just under a year ago I heralded the generally positive qualities of the European Commission’s proposal for a revised Renewable Energy Directive for the period 2021-2030 (RED II). Since then, both the European Parliament […]
Yesterday, the European Commission released its proposal for the renewable energy regime for Europe through to 2030. The proposal includes a framework for supporting and regulating the supply of alternative fuels, including biofuels, fuels produced from power-to-liquids technologies, and fuels produced from non-renewable waste streams, notably technologies such as Lanzatech’s carbon monoxide fermentation. As is […]
Methodology for assessing greenhouse gas emissions savings from low-carbon fuelsSeptember 12, 2025
A federal clean fuel standard (CFS) for the USASeptember 5, 2025
Staying Aloft: Support Mechanisms for ‘Sustainable Aviation Fuels’ in the United Kingdom and European UnionJuly 24, 2025
Global Automaker Rating 2024July 3, 2025