L 234/2
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
22.9.2023
(3)
Regulations (EU) 2019/631 (6) and (EU) 2019/1242 (7) of the European Parliament and of the Council already set CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light-duty vehicles, as well as for certain new heavy-duty vehicles.
Those Regulations should accelerate the uptake of, in particular, zero-emission vehicles and thereby create demand for recharging and refuelling infrastructure.
It is important that Regulations (EU) 2019/631 and (EU) 2019/1242 and this Regulation ensure a coherent framework for the use and deployment of alternative fuels in road transport.
(4)
Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on ensuring a level playing field for sustainable air transport and Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council (8) should boost the production and uptake of sustainable alternative fuels in aviation and maritime transport.
While the fuel use requirements for sustainable aviation fuels can largely rely on the existing refuelling infrastructure, investments are needed for the electricity supply of stationary aircraft.
Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 sets requirements in particular for the use of on-shore power that can only be fulfilled if an adequate level of shore-side electricity supply is deployed in the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) ports.
However, those Regulations do not contain any requirements concerning fuel infrastructure, although such requirements are a prerequisite for achieving the targets.
(5)
Therefore, all modes of transport should be addressed in a single legal act which should take into account a variety of alternative fuels.
The use of zero-emission powertrain technologies is at different stages of maturity in the different modes of transport and in the different Member States.
In particular, in the road sector, a rapid uptake of battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles is taking place.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles are available on the market, as well.
In addition, smaller hydrogen-powered vessels and battery electric vessels and hydrogen-powered trains are currently being deployed in different projects and in first commercial operations, with full commercial roll-out expected in the coming years.
In contrast, the aviation and waterborne sectors continue to be dependent on liquid and gaseous fuels, as zero- and low-emission powertrain solutions are expected to enter the market only by approximately 2030 or even later, in particular for the aviation sector, with full commercialisation taking its time.
The use of fossil gaseous or liquid fuels is only possible if it is clearly embedded into a clear decarbonisation pathway that is in line with the long-term objective of climate neutrality in the Union, requiring increasing blending with or replacement by renewable fuels such as bio-methane, advanced biofuels or renewable and low-carbon synthetic, paraffinic, gaseous and liquid fuels.
(6)
Such biofuels, synthetic and paraffinic fuels, substituting diesel, petrol and jet fuels, can be produced from different feedstock and can be blended into fossil fuels at very high blending ratios.
Those fuels are especially important for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the aviation and maritime transport sectors, in which electrification is expected to be slower.
Those fuels are technically compatible with the current vehicle technology, with minor adaptations.
Moreover, renewable methanol can, among other things, be used for inland navigation and short-sea shipping.
Synthetic and paraffinic fuels have the potential to reduce the use of fossil fuel sources in the transport sector.
All of those fuels can be distributed, stored and used with the existing infrastructure or, where necessary, with infrastructure of the same kind.
(7)
Liquefied methane is likely to continue to play a role in maritime transport, where no economically viable zeroemission powertrain technology is currently available.
However, liquefied methane from fossil sources should be phased out in maritime transport as soon as possible and substituted by more sustainable alternatives.
The Smart and Sustainable Mobility Strategy points to zero-emission seagoing ships becoming market ready by 2030 and projects for such ships are already underway.
Fleet conversion is expected to take place gradually due to the long lifetime of seagoing ships.
In contrast with the situation in maritime transport, in inland waterway transport, with normally smaller vessels and shorter distances, zero-emission powertrain technologies, such as for hydrogen and electricity, are becoming mature technologies and are therefore expected to enter the market more quickly.
However, those zero-emission powertrain technologies could play an important role for maritime transport in
(6) Regulation (EU) 2019/631 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new passenger cars and for new light commercial vehicles, and repealing Regulations (EC) No 443/2009 and (EU) No 510/2011 (OJ L 111, 25.4.2019, p. 13).
(7) Regulation (EU) 2019/1242 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 setting CO2 emission performance standards for new heavy-duty vehicles and amending Regulations (EC) No 595/2009 and (EU) 2018/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council and Council Directive 96/53/EC (OJ L 198, 25.7.2019, p. 202).
(8) Regulation (EU) 2023/1805 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 on the use of renewable and lowcarbon fuels in maritime transport, and amending Directive 2009/16/EC (See page 48 of this Official Journal).