France approves HVO100 at fuel stations

France has approved the sale of transport fuels made from 100pc renewable raw materials such as pure hydrotreated vegetable oil, or HVO100, at fuel stations, according to Finnish biofuel producer Neste.

Pure biofuel sales had so far been limited to logistics companies with fuel supply networks, said Neste.

German filling station operators have been permitted to sell B10 and HVO for the past month.

In May, the EU mandated that new heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) from 2030 will require 45pc greenhouse gas (GHG) cuts for 2030-34, 65pc for 2035-39 and 90pc as of 2040, compared with fleet averages in 2019. The revised law covers most trucks, urban buses, long-distance buses and trailers.

As hard-to-electrify vehicles, HDV owners often turn to biofuels like HVO to reduce GHG emissions.

The EU will assess a "possible" methodology for registering HDVs running exclusively on "CO2 neutral fuels" in 2027, as well as examining the role of "sustainable renewable" fuels and a carbon correction factor (CCF). CO2-neutral fuels lack a clear definition but can refer to e-fuels, renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO), recycled carbon fuels, and some biofuels.

All new cars and vans registered in Europe must be zero emission by 2035, and CO2 emissions for new cars and vans must be cut by 55pc and 50pc by 2030.

European diesel demand fell sharply in France, and in smaller consumers Norway and Sweden, in January-March this year. The declines, closely linked to economic activity, reflect weak economic growth, but also falling diesel vehicle sales in favour of gasoline.

There appear to be signs of a diesel demand recovery in the second quarter, Argus Consulting said last week, as French diesel demand grew by 8pc on the year to 610,000 b/d in April, although gasoline growth again outpaced it, rising by 14pc to 270,000 b/d.

By Madeleine Jenkins