• Renewable Transport Fuel Association (RTFA) launched to help achieve rapid action to decarbonise transport through use of bioethanol, biodiesel, biomethane and biopropane

• UK needs rapid action within transport sector to help achieve net zero emissions by 2050 -the UK can’t afford to wait for the uptake of electric vehicles and hydrogen

As the UK Government sets its sights on becoming net zero in carbon emissions by 2050, transport will be one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize - as a result of heavy road freight, rail where it cannot be electrified, shipping and aviation. For these challenging areas, the RTFA forecasts an enduring role for sustainable renewable fuels. Lighter duty vehicles will transition to electrification, but cars with internal combustion engines will be on the UK’s roads for many decades and will need to be run on renewable fuel.

Commenting on the launch of the RTFA, Gaynor Hartnell, Chief Executive, said:

“Ten years ago, carbon emissions from energy supply were twice that of transport. Now transport is the largest polluter in the economy.  Switching fuels is one of the most cost-effective and fastest actions in the fight against climate change, yet the role of fuels in reducing greenhouse gas emissions is overlooked. The RTFA will be the voice of the UK companies that produce and supply these fuels that can make a difference to the environment today.”

The Chairman of the RTFA, Grant Pearson, said:

“We can’t afford to wait; action is required now to reduce transport emissions. Swift and decisive action is more politically challenging for the UK Government than setting longer-term aspirations for the environment. We of course welcome the UK’s zero carbon long-term emission targets, but the environment cannot to wait for the electrification of cars and other forms of transport. Progress needs to be made and our focus is on replacing the fossil fuels used today with greener and cleaner alternatives”.

-Ends-

Notes to editors

The role of the RTFA is

*to promote the benefits of rapid action to decarbonise transport through increasing the use of renewable and recycled carbon transport fuels

*to grow the market for renewable and recycled carbon fuels, and progressively replace fossil fuels used in UK transport (road, rail, maritime and aviation).

The RTFA subscribes to evidence-based policy making, taking into account the full life cycle impacts of technology and fuel choices.  It adheres to the principle of being technology / fuel neutral, encouraging long-term policy measures which focus on the objectives sought, and enabling innovation and competition.

RTFA founder members

ABF Associated British Foods owns British Sugar and Vivergo. British Sugar was the first company to manufacture bioethanol in the UK and can produce up to 64,000 tonnes (80 million litres) of bioethanol annually. Vivergo’s £350 million plant, which was one of Europe’s biggest bioethanol producers (could produce up to 420 million litres of bioethanol) and the UK’s largest single source supplier of animal feed. The Vivergo plant ceased production in September 2018.

ABSL is an advanced biofuel technology supplier.  It aims to lead the development of advanced biofuel projects around the world as a project owner and supplier of technology to other organisations. Its RadGas technology is proven at scale to be more reliable and efficient than competing pathways that transform waste into fuels.

Alco group is one of Europe's largest producers of ethanol for fuel and supplier of ethanol for fuel and non-fuel uses.  With headquarters in Brussels and operations on several continents, Alco is one of the biggest producers and distributors of ethanol for fuel in Europe. Globally it provides ethanol to various industries: from cosmetics to pharmaceuticals, biochemistry, food and beverage.

Argent Energy specialises in the supply of high grade, sustainable diesel for fleet operators, delivering to over 100 UK depots from Kent to Dundee.  It produces its biodiesel from waste by-products of other industries - tallow, used cooking oil, fats oils and grease, sewer grease and high FFA products - which have few alternative uses.

Calor has been long established as a supplier of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), which is propane and butane, and more recently Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). Calor, which is part of the European SHV group, is intent on switching to renewable sources of these fuels by 2040 and as such is investing heavily in research in the various production pathways for these advanced fuels both BioLPG and Biomethane/Synthetic Natural Gas.

CNG Fuels develops, owns, and operates CNG Refuelling infrastructure and sources 100% Renewable Biomethane or Bio-CNG for its stations.  It is rolling out a UK-wide network of reliable and convenient refuelling facilities to service customers’ vehicle fleets and their off-grid energy needs.

Ensus UK Limited, based in Yarm, UK, operates one of the largest production plants for bioethanol in Europe, in the North East of England, with an annual capacity of 400,000 cubic metres of bioethanol and 350,000 tonnes of dried protein animal feed (DDGS). Ensus is a member of the CropEnergies Group, which is one of the leading European manufacturers of sustainably produced bioethanol for the fuel sector today.

Gasrec sells liquified and compressed renewable biomethane through publicly accessible refuelling stations in strategic locations or bespoke CNG and LNG refuelling facilities that it has designed and built for its customers. It supplies renewable biomethane in its own gas-powered tankers that deliver LNG direct to stations and supply CNG by grid connection or by tanker (known as L-CNG) where a grid connection is not available.

Greenergy is an established supplier and distributor of transportation fuels, and the UK’s largest fuel supplier.  Greenergy is also Europe’s largest manufacturer of biodiesel from wastes, and has developed unique supply chains that bring waste oils, collected from restaurants and other food producers to its manufacturing facilities in the UK and the Netherlands.

Nova Pangea Nova Pangaea's REFNOVA® technology uses well-proven processes, which are integrated using NPT’s patented proprietary process and technologies, to provide an innovative cleantech solution for a low carbon world. REFNOVA® is a multistage, continuous thermo-chemical process that utilises pyrolysis (steam) to fractionate biomass into its constituent sugars, lignin and chemicals.

Olleco is the UK and Ireland's leading collector of waste oils, fats and food waste and converts organic waste into biodiesel, biomethane and biofertiliser. Olleco works with food manufacturers, retailers and the hospitality industry to provide circular solutions for their organic waste. The company collects waste oils, fats and food waste from 50,000 customer locations across the UK and the Republic of Ireland. The waste oils and fats are refined and converted into biodiesel and the food waste is converted into biomethane which can either be used as a transport fuel, converted into sustainable electricity or for heating. Olleco has won multiple awards for its innovative circular solutions and is committed to fighting the climate emergency.

Velocys is an international UK-based sustainable fuels technology company. Velocys designed, developed and now licenses proprietary Fischer-Tropsch technology for the generation of clean, low carbon, synthetic drop-in aviation and road transport fuel from municipal solid waste and residual woody biomass plants currently in construction and development.