Electric Vehicles Are Not The Only Way Out Of Carbon Emissions, There Are Biofuels And Synthetic Fuels

Hyundai trucks that are powered by hydrogen combined with electric power. (photo; doc. between)

JAKARTA – Carbon emissions are now considered a common enemy for the world. To overcome this problem, various environmentally friendly vehicles continue to be developed.

However, electric vehicles are considered not the only effective way to reduce carbon emissions produced by the car industry. According to the view of the Italian automotive association, Tuesday May 31, there are several other technologies.

Other technologies could help decarbonise the industry and meet the same emission targets while maintaining skills and jobs in Italy, said ANFIA auto industry association chairman Paolo Scudieri, quoted by Reuters on Wednesday.

“I am referring to the tangible contribution that biofuels and synthetic fuels, as well as hydrogen, can make that way,” said Scudieri opening the ANFIA meeting. He added that the Italian auto industry was already investing heavily in hydrogen.

Biofuels and synthetic fuels, referred to as e-fuels, are being developed to enable a shift away from the use of fuel-engined vehicles rather than a massive shift to battery electric vehicles (BEVs).

Focusing heavily on BEV technology would, according to Scudieri, risk some 73,000 jobs in Italy in the coming years, which would not be compensated for by the roughly 6,000 new jobs that electric mobility is expected to create.

He added that around 450 auto parts makers in Italy, out of a total of 2,200, were at risk of going out of business because they had not yet started shifting production to electric technology.

The European Commission has proposed a 100 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2035 for industry. The targets, which are part of a climate change policy package launched last year, make it impossible to sell new fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the 27-nation bloc.

The European Parliament will hold a debate next week on a number of climate policies, including a plan to effectively ban gasoline-powered cars by 2035.

Scudieri believes that there is no strong position among the different political groups in the European parliament.

"Every vote will be counted and my hope is that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will vote too taking into account the interests of the country," he said.