EU in doubt over alternatives to oil

Biofuels, natural gas, hydrogen… None of the candidates to replace oil in vehicles are entirely convincing at the moment, according to the Commission which says it lacks a long-term vision supported by carmakers and the oil industry.

Speaking at a conference on “future energy sources for transport” in Brussels, Fabrizio Barbaso, Deputy Director General at the Commission’s transport and energy department, indicated that the Commission had already identified three main candidates for the job – biofuels, natural gas, and hydrogen.

But he said each one of these present “tremendous technological challenges” that are just starting to be addressed, for instance by joint EU research efforts such a technology platforms (on biofuels, hydrogen, etc.).
Natural gas currently enjoys little support from automakers or the oil industry, meaning the technology would need heavy subsidies to be maintained in the contest for oil substitution.

“My feeling is that we have not yet reached [an agreement on] policies largely supported by all parties,” Barbaso said. And until significant progress is made, he said the Commission considers energy efficiency as its “number one priority”.

EurActiv