The 'power to liquids' trap

With its Clean Energy Package, the EU is on the verge of repeating costly energy and climate policy failures of the recent past. Attempting to provide a low-carbon transport fuel replacement alternative to conventional biofuels, the European Commission in its revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) proposes a 2030 target for 'low-emission and renewable fuels'. The proposed target includes so-called ''renewable liquid and gaseous transport fuels of non-biological origin''. This opens the door for massive public subsidies for synthetic fossil fuels (i.e. renewable hydrogen mixed with fossil CO_²) from emitting industries covered by the EU ETS.

In its new report Bellona Europa provides a reality check to the proposed EU 'Power to Liquids' policy.