ACEA

 position  concerning  diesel  that  might  contain  more  than  7%  FAME  

22  April  2014  

In  June  2008,  ACEA’s  statement  on  biofuels(1)  laid  out  the  conditions  necessary  for  the  European  
auto-­‐industry   to   support   the   rollout   of   B7   diesel   (and   E10   petrol)   across   member   states   of   the  
European  Union  as  a  means  of  supporting  the  Renewable  Energy  Strategy  of  the  EU,  i.e.  
• ACEA  offered  that  all  new  vehicles  would  be  compatible  with  either  B7  diesel  (or  E10  petrol)  by  
2010  –  the  auto  industry  invested  and  delivered  on  that  promise.  
• There   must   be   clear   quality   standards   (CEN)   ensuring   fit-­‐for-­‐purpose   market   fuels   so   that  
vehicles  can  operate  without  negative  consequences  –  this  has  yet  to  be  delivered  (see  below).  
• Until  there  has  been  a  EU  review  to  establish  the  need  to  move  to  higher  and  EU  harmonised  
levels   of   ‘high   quality   low   blend   biofuels’   (i.e.   higher   than   B7   diesel   or   E10   petrol),   no   member  
state  should  go  beyond  what  is  in  the  Fuel  Quality  Directive  for  general  market  fuels.  Higher  
blends   of   high   quality   low   blend   biofuels   might   be   introduced,   but   only   for   captive   fleets   of  
dedicated  vehicles.  
• In  the  case  of  diesel,  new  biofuel  blend  standards  ensuring  high  market  fuel  quality  should  be  
defined   utilising   advanced   renewable   diesel   from   processes   such   as   hydrotreated   vegetable  
oils  (HVO),  co-­‐processing  or  BtL.  
Four   years   later,   in   November   2012,   ACEA   updated   this   biofuel   statement   in   a   position   paper(2)  
concerning  the  still  unresolved  issue  of  Indirect  Land  Use  Change  (ILUC),  i.e.  
• Disappointment   that   while   the   auto   industry   had   delivered   the   vehicles,   the   EU   and   the  
member  states  had  failed  to  ensure  the  widespread  availability  of  B7  diesel  (and  E10  petrol)  
general  market  fuels.  
• The   needs   of   the   customer   and   the   auto   industry   for   a   strong   EU   internal   market   delivering  
high   quality   and   common   general   market   fuels   was   being   overlooked   by   biofuels   politics   -­‐  
leading  to  possible  fragmentation  of  the  EU  internal  market.  
• Disappointment   that   there   had   been   little   movement   to   sustainable   advanced   renewable   high  
quality  biofuels.  
• Continued  concerns  about  market  fuel  quality  (see  below).  

Market  quality  to  ensure  fit-­‐for-­‐purpose  fuels:  

There   remains   a   clear   need   to   ensure   that   low   blend   diesel   meets   the   quality   demands   of   the  
auto-­‐manufacturers  so  that  what  customers  are  offered  at  the  pump  across  all  seasons  of  the  year  
is  a  high  quality  fit-­‐for-­‐purpose  fuel.  
The   presence   of   saturated   fatty   acid   methyl   esters   in   FAME   has   a   direct   influence   on   the  
properties  of  the  pure  biodiesel  blend  component  and  the  final  diesel  blend.  High  levels  of  such  
saturated   fatty   acid   methyl   esters   will   result   in   vehicle   malfunctions   and   data   show   that   such  
issues  are  increasing  in  the  field.  The  Renewable  Energy  Use  Directive’s  “double  counting”  of  used  
cooking   oil   and   animal   fats   will   make   the   issue   worse.   Accordingly,   the   standards   for   pure  
biodiesel   (EN14214)   and   the   final   blend   (EN590)   must   be   updated   to   ensure   the   highest   quality   of  
diesel  so  customers  can  have  confidence  that  what  they  buy  at  the  filling  station  on  any  day  of  the  
year  will  allow  their  vehicle  to  operate  safely  and  without  problem.  

Accordingly,   ACEA’s   position   regarding   the   specification   and   quality   of   general   market   diesel  
and  the  EU  internal  market  remains  as  follows:  

• ACEA   members   accept   up   to   B7   (as   defined   by   the   Fuel   Quality   Directive   and   EN590)   for   all  
vehicles,  old  and  new.  
• Diesel   blends   higher   than   B7   are   not   accepted   in   general   for   new   vehicles   offered   by   ACEA  
members.  
• An   alternate   and   acceptable   way   to   achieve   an   “equivalent   renewable   diesel"   would   be   to  
keep   FAME   blending   limited   to   a   maximum   of   7%   v/v   and   blend   advanced   renewable   diesel  
such  as  HVO  or  BtL.  However,  the  quality  of  the  FAME  remains  a  concern  for  the  auto-­‐industry  
(see  above).  
• ACEA  does  not  support  such  an  action  by  a  member  state  but,  if  a  member  state  does  decide  
to   permit   the   sale   of   diesel   containing   more   than   7%   v/v   FAME   in   its   territory   as   a   general  
market  fuel  (assuming  it  also  complies  with  the  Fuel  Quality  Directive  and  EN590),  it  must  also  
ensure  the  continued  sale  of  B7  diesel  for  those  vehicles  that  will  not  be  able  to  accept  the  use  
of  a  higher  FAME  diesel  blend.  Any  diesel  offered  for  sale  containing  more  than  7%  v/v  FAME  
content   must   be   distinctly   labelled   so   the   customer   is   fully   aware   what   diesel   his   vehicle   must  
use.  
• The   EU   fuels   market   across   all   member   states   (current   and   future   new   entrants)   must   be  
based  on  common  and  harmonised  high  quality  general  market  fuels.  ACEA  requests  that,  for  
the   benefit   of   the   customer,   all   member   states   of   the   EU   provide   similar   levels   of   access   to  
common   and   high   quality   general   market   fuels   that   comply   with   Annex   I   of   the   Fuel   Quality  
Directive   and   EN228   (in   the   case   of   petrol)   or   Annex   II   of   the   Fuel   Quality   Directive   and   EN590  
(in   the   case   of   diesel).   Fragmentation   of   the   EU   internal   market   for   general   market   fuels  
cannot  be  accepted.  
• The  CEN  standards  EN590  for  diesel  (and  EN228  for  petrol)  still  need  to  be  updated  to  ensure  
high  quality  fuels  are  delivered  to  all  customers  across  the  EU.  
 

References:  
(1)
  ACEA  statement  on  biofuels,  9  June  2008.  
(2)
  ACEA  views  concerning  ILUC,  13  November  2012.  

Notes  for  editors  

ACEA’s  members  are  BMW  Group,  DAF  Trucks,  Daimler,  FIAT  SpA,  Ford  of  Europe,  General  Motors  Europe,  Hyundai  
Motor   Europe,   IVECO   SpA,   Jaguar   Land   Rover,   PSA   Peugeot   Citroën,   Renault   Group,   Toyota   Motor   Europe,  
Volkswagen  Group,  Volvo  Cars,  Volvo  Group.  More  information  can  be  found  on  www.acea.be.  
Facts  about  the  EU  automobile  industry  
• Some  12.9  million  people  -­‐  or  5.3%  of  the  EU  employed  population  -­‐  work  in  the  sector.  
• The  3  million  jobs  in  automotive  manufacturing  represent  10%  of  EU's  manufacturing  employment.  
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• Motor  vehicles  account  for  €387  billion  in  tax  contribution  in  the  EU15.  
• The  sector  is  also  a  key  driver  of  knowledge  and  innovation,  representing  Europe's  largest  private  contributor  to  
R&D,  with  €32  billion  invested  annually.  
• The  automotive  sector  contributes  significantly  to  the  EU  trade  balance  with  a  €95.7  billion  surplus.  
For  more  information,  please  contact  Cara  McLaughlin,  cm@acea.be,  +32  2  738  73  45

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