Fuel Quality (Directive 2009/30/EC amending Directive 98/70/EC as regards the specification of petrol, diesel and gas-oil and introducing a mechanism to monitor and reduce GHG emissions and amending Council Directive 1999/32/EC as regards the specification of fuel used by inland waterway vessels and repealing Directive 93/12/EEC)
The directive provides the legislative basis for reducing the GHG intensity of fuels used in vehicles for transportation by 10% by 2020. It applies to all fuels used in road transportation, including petrol, diesel and biofuels, and to gasoil that is used in non-road mobile machinery.
The 10% target comprises 6% reduction of GHG intensity of fuels by 2020, 2% reduction of GHG intensity depending on the development of new technologies and 2% reduction from purchasing Clean Development Mechanism credits. The Directive requires calculation of fuel GHG intensity on a life-cycle basis, calculated from a 2010 baseline.
To limit the undesired impacts of biofuel production, it establishes criteria to enable biofuels to be counted towards GHG emission reduction targets. Biofuel GHG emissions must be >35% lower than the fossil fuel they are replacing, increasing to >50% by 2017 and >60% from 2018. Raw materials for biofuels may not be taken from land with high carbon stocks (e.g. peat lands) or high biodiversity. However, the implementing measures of the Fuel Quality Directive have not been adopted and it has thus only limited impact.
