SOUND SOLUTIONS ON THE ROAD TO DECARBONISATION

Peter Zonneveld from Neste looks at the future of liquid biofuels   WE all know that the clock is ticking when it comes to mitigating climate change. We understand the magnitude of the climate crisis and that it calls for extensive and varied actions. Transport currently accounts for approximately a fifth of global carbon dioxide emissions, so we know the importance of this sub-area in achieving the climate goals. In the short- to mid-term, electrification of transport will not solve the big challenge of reaching emission targets; alternative fuels are also needed. Energy policy focuses on reducing emissions through a variety of means, but the debate concerning transportation and the vehicle powertrain has ended up with emission reduction technologies, like renewable fuels, electricity, and gas, competing against one another. This is a misguided approach. Instead, all alternatives to decarbonisation should be on the table. Throughout the history of modern transportation, there’s been a tendency to see the various combustion engines, fuels, and fossil raw materials as essentially one and the same. But this just isn’t the case anymore. Neste’s R&D budget...