Development of Alternative Fuels in Europe Presents Opportunity for the Middle East
Authors: Carpenter Chris 
Published: January 2021

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 198165, “Alternative Fuels Development in Europe: Threat or Opportunity for the Middle East?” by Maarten Van Haute, Kuwait Petroleum Research and Technology, prepared for the 2019 SPE Kuwait Oil and Gas Conference and Show, Mishref, Kuwait, 13-16 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed.

In December 2018, the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED) [European Union (EU)] 2018/2001 was implemented, establishing a new binding renewable EU energy target for 2030 of at least 32%, with a clause for a possible upward revision by 2023. The subtarget for renewable energy in transport was raised to 14%. The scope of the complete paper is limited to the 14% renewable energy target in transport and its possible effect on the Middle East.

Introduction

The first portion of the complete paper includes an extended discussion of the RED and definitions needed to appreciate its conclusions that the production and consumption of fossil fuels will be reduced gradually and replaced by renewable alternatives. This is an economically threatening situation for any country whose gross domestic product is dependent upon oil. The energy transition is a slow but steady process, so nations of the Middle East are reviewing their long-term strategies. Energy-transition and renewable-energy developments, however, may offer solutions and opportunities for these nations.

Overview of Renewable Fuels

Biofuels. According to the definition provided in the RED, biofuels refers to liquid fuel for transport produced from biomass. A delineation from crude oil is in order before these fuels are discussed in detail. One might consider crude oil a fuel from biomass, but, because the biomass is fossil and the process cannot be replenished within a human time scale, it is not considered renewable.

Biomass used to produce biofuels is a mix of hydrocarbons that has high oxygen content and a limited amount and type of unsaturated hydrocarbons. The role of oxygen and unsaturated hydrocarbons (which are less stable) and the limited amount of hydrocarbon species are the biggest challenges for biofuels production. These feedstocks all need a pretreatment step to liquefy or gasify the hydrocarbons so they can be processed in a refinery. Many pretreatment options exist for different feedstocks under development.

The RED makes a distinction between first-generation biofuels and advanced biofuels. The latter are those made of feedstocks that generally are waste-based or nonfood-based feedstocks. The allowed percentage of first-generation biofuels is capped. The supply of this first generation is not limited by availability or lack of conversion processes but rather by its competition with the food chain and vast deforestation.

To achieve sustainability, the development of advanced biofuels, where the choice of feedstock and pretreatment and conversion technology is key, should be prioritized. Feedstocks will be at much lower volumes than crude and less consistent in quality, so the advanced-biofuels-processing industry likely will comprise many small bioprocessing units.