German fuel suppliers overfulfil 6pc GHG quota in 2021

Market: Biofuels, Natural gas
08/11/22

Fuel suppliers in Germany have overfulfilled the domestic biofuels blending mandate for the 2021 compliance year by 2.4mn t CO2 equivalent (CO2e), according to preliminary data from the customs office.

Oil companies obligated to fulfil the country's 6pc GHG emission reduction quota have generated around 10.7mn t CO2e by blending biodiesel and ethanol. This was lower than the 12.7mn t in 2020, because no carry over of excess savings was allowed from the 2019 to 2020 compliance years.

Around 346,000t CO2e were generated by using 100pc bio-based fuels such as B100 or biomethane, either in compressed or liquefied state, up from 245,100t CO2e in 2020. GHG savings from upstream emission reduction (UER) projects amounted to 1.8mn t CO2e, up from 784,800t CO2e a year earlier.

Companies claimed 24,895t of GHG savings from electricity used to charged e-vehicles, up from 13,100t CO2e in 2020 compliance. Green hydrogen registered with the customs office rose to 128t from 82t, generating 24,900t CO2e.

Companies achieved around 475,000t CO2 savings by using LPG, CNG and LNG as transport fuel. The option to use these to comply with the blending mandate has been abolished from 2022.

Companies could claim around 990,300t CO2e and 921,000t CO2e carried over from 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Overall GHG savings achieved in 2021 compliance amounted to 15.25mnt CO2e, up from 14.2mnt CO2e a year earlier.

To achieve Germany's advanced subquota of 0.1pc of overall energy marketed, companies sold around 2.1mn GJ of advanced biodiesel and 4.2mn GJ of advanced HVO into the domestic market. Advanced biomethane amounted to 2.7mn GJ in 2021. Together with excess advanced credits from 2020, companies could claim around 15.24mn GJ of advanced certificates, around 12.8mn GJ more than needed to comply with the advanced subquota.

By Sophie Barthel

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