Biodiesel blending in Germany dropped to a historic low of 90,800 tonnes in December 2024, continuing a downward trend from 107,000 tonnes in November, according to data from the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA), reports biofuels international.
Total consumption of biodiesel and hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) for the year stood at 2.1 million tonnes, marking a 20.6% decline compared to 2023. The figures signal rising concern among stakeholders about the effectiveness of Germany’s current renewable energy and climate policy framework.
The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen (UFOP), a key industry association, has responded by urging the incoming German government to abolish the double counting mechanism for biofuels derived from certain waste oils and fats, as listed under Part A of Annex IX of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II).
UFOP argues that this double counting, while intended to encourage the use of waste-based feedstocks, distorts the actual contribution of biofuels to greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. It allows companies to meet quotas virtually without increasing the physical volume of biofuels used, thereby undermining the credibility and impact of the policy.
“The tightening of fraud prevention will only be truly effective if we address the root cause: double counting,” UFOP stated. “Without reform, we risk seeing stagnation or even decline in actual biofuel deployment, despite a higher GHG reduction obligation.”
Germany’s GHG reduction mandate for fuels rose to 9.35% in 2024, but the decrease in actual biofuel usage suggests the quota may be increasingly met on paper rather than through real-world reductions. UFOP anticipates that this trend will be confirmed by the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) in its 2024 evaluation report expected at year’s end.
UFOP also expressed concern about planned EU-level expansions to Annex IX, which would include new feedstocks such as intercrops and crops grown on degraded land. The group warns that ambiguities in crop types and certification criteria create regulatory gaps that could lead to fraud and displacement effects, similar to those observed with waste oil-based biofuels.
Instead of further expansion, UFOP advocates for the creation of robust traceability systems and a functioning Union-wide database to ensure transparency and accountability in biofuel sourcing.
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