USGC sends delegation to Europe aimed at boosting ethanol blends

In Norway, the European Union (EU) has committed to ambitious carbon-reduction goals centered around E10 blending across its member states, and the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) recently sent a delegation to the region to build relationships with industry stakeholders and policymakers to further support the EU’s climate initiatives.

The team arrived in Oslo, Norway and met with advisors from the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment on May 13. The day’s docket also featured a meeting with ZERO, a non-profit leader in carbon emission reduction strategies in Europe.

Norway implemented an E10 gasoline blend to consumers in 2023 and in 2020 became the first country to mandate sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) blending. The government plans to blend SAF at 30% by 2030.

Sifferath and company traveled to Stockholm, Sweden on May 14 to participate in a roundtable with representatives from Bioenergi Magazine; Colabit; Lantmännen; the International Energy Agency; the Swedish Bioenergy Association, the World Bioenergy Association and ePure, an association that represents 85% of the EU’s ethanol production.

Sweden raised its SAF blending mandate to 1.7% in 2022 and in 2023, its Trollhättan-Vänersborg airport became the first in the world to exclusively offer blended SAF for all aircraft refueling. Sweden also has a high demand for biofuel-blended diesel fuel, presenting several major opportunities for ethanol growth in the country.

The busy agenda continued in Helsinki, Finland with meetings with the Bioenergy Association of Finland and the renewable energy policy unit at the Finnish Ministry of Economy and Employment.