Meta-study on eFuels: Climate protection or political rhetoric?

Meta-study on eFuels: Climate protection or political rhetoric?

A groundbreaking meta-study by the Berlin Ecological-Social Market Economy Forum (FÖS) has demystified eFuels as a source of hope for road transport, but without providing any new insights. Jürgen Roth, President of the eFuel Alliance Austria, criticizes the study as political rhetoric that turns previous research into the opposite and ignores important facts. This perspective could hinder progress in climate policy because the focus on electric cars distracts from the real need to also include eFuels in the mobility strategy, according to Roth and Stephan Schwarzer, Secretary General of the eFuel Alliance. They emphasize that the negative statements about eFuels are not only wrong, but also omit the long-standing trend that electricity from the grid is often CO2-intensive.

The FÖS was also criticized for not doing justice to the rising electricity costs and the uncertain supply situation for e-car production. Roth and Schwarzer point out that eFuels can be produced in large quantities and, in their opinion, could play a crucial role in reducing emissions in the transport sector in the next few years. Above all, it is emphasized that switching from fossil fuels is not possible without eFuels. In this context, the EU Commission plans to review the strict regulations for the auto industry, possibly affecting the impending ban on combustion engines in 2035, and allow eFuels as an equivalent alternative the freight railways report.

The two leaders of the eFuel Alliance make it clear that the rapid production and integration of eFuels can very soon support not only aviation, but also road transport. The need for eFuels could reduce production costs and promote acceptance in society. Roth warns that focusing on just one mode of transport could jeopardize climate goals, as the general population remains interested in a diverse solution that also includes eFuels. The FÖS study could harm climate protection while the Union is operating in a challenging political environment in which climate protection is also an instrument of election campaign tactics.