Prospects of biodiesel under increasing exhaust emissions regulations

"Fuels of the Future 2016” – Special Interest Forum for Biodiesel Research

Berlin, 23th October 2015 – There is especially currently in Germany a lot of public interest regarding the compliance with the legally binding limits for exhaust emissions. Biofuels have to flfil these emission requirements as well, without any ifs and buts. Only then will approvals be issued and the future of biodiesel be secured also from an engine technicological point of view. This means that the biodiesel industry, in particular, should have an interest in the accompanying research, given that, at this point, its own future is at stake. Each new emissions standard brings along new scientific challenges for fuel system research.

This central issue will be the focus of the forum “Biodiesel Research – Development Prospects of Biodiesel” during the 13th International Conference on Biofuels “Fuels of the Future 2016”, which will be held from 18–19 January, 2016 in Berlin. This forum will provide an overview of the legal exhaust emission requirements, especially with regard to the use of B100 and B30, as well as of the current optimization options for biodiesel blends. Against this background, the biodiesel industry qualifies for the ongoing discussion on the development of the national and European biofuel strategy as a contribution to climate protection in the transport sector.

Accordingly, biodiesel has to demonstrate its efficiency under very different operating conditions. Quality monitoring for biodiesel is not only a necessary requirement along the supply chain, but also needed for the early fuel quality detection of biodiesel blends during vehicle operation. The Union for Promoting Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP), as a co-organizer of the conference, has pointed out that the sensor technology will have to become part also of the fuel quality monitoring. Experts will present solutions specific to this problem, which are also addressed in the scope of the project consulting and implementation of the UFOP expert commission “Biofuels and Renewable Resources”.

On the path to the national climate protection targets until 2020/2050 and the EU’s climate energy goals for 2030, it will be necessary to continously improve the biofuel and fossil fuel blends, also in terms of quality. As we move into the future, this will be the key criteria for biofuels to contribute to the national climate protection targets until 2020/2050 and those at EU level until 2030 as well as to air pollution control, based on the sustainability certification, while meeting customer expectations both among the drivers of passenger cars and light or heavy goods vehicles.

From the perspective of UFOP, the continuous promotion of biodiesel research is therefore essential for the biodiesel sector, not least with the aim of recognising its bridging function when establishing other alternative energy sources, for example, in the area of electrification, as part of a gradual and sustained overall strategy. For this reason, the particular focus of this special interest forum is on the entire biodiesel sector, providing a platform for the exchange with researchers and the automotive industry.

Conference programme: Parallel forum 5A – Biodiesel research – Development Prospects of Biodiesel http://www.fuels-of-the-future.com/programme/#block5