Renewable motor fuels

Renewable motor fuels include liquid or gaseous fuels used for transport that directly replace fossil fuels in the transport sector. They can be produced from biomass (biofuels) or not (non-biofuels).

At present, the most commonly used biofuels are:

• biodiesel,
• ethanol,
• advanced biofuels.

Biodiesel

Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oil extracted from rapeseed, sunflower, soybean, palm, etc. That oil is esterified to produce fatty acid methyl ester (FAME). According to standard NBN EN 590:2013-+A1 (Automotive fuels - Diesel - Requirements and test methods, November 2017), a maximum of 7 % (V/V) biodiesel may be added to fossil diesel.

As of 23 July 2018, other diesel products are also allowed, with higher shares of vegetable or synthetic oil.

The Royal Decree of 8 July 2018 on the designation and characteristics of gas oil/diesel and petrol allows the marketing of other types of diesel such as HVO biodiesel (hydrotreated vegetable oil), which is also produced from vegetable oils and must conform to standard NBN EN 15940. Unlike FAME, HVO biodiesel has a chemical structure identical to that of fossil diesel.   

Ethanol

Ethanol is an alcohol product produced by fermentation of beets, cane sugar, wheat, corn, etc.
Produced from plants, it can also be transformed into ETBE (ethyl tertio butyl ether). It is an anti-knock agent that increases the octane number of petrol. According to standard NBN EN 228 (Automotive fuels - Unleaded petrol - Requirements and test methods), up to 5 % (V/V) ethanol may be blended into E5 petrol and up to 10 % ethanol in E10 petrol.

Advanced biofuels

Other types of biofuel, called “advanced” biofuels, can be used under certain conditions, as stipulated in the Act of 17 July 2013 on the minimum nominal volumes of sustainable biofuels that the volumes of fossil motor fuels released for consumption each year must contain. At present, however, they are neither sufficiently developed nor economically viable to meet the entire demand of the market.

Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO)

Here, renewable energy derived from renewable sources other than biomass is used to synthesise gaseous or liquid motor fuels. Examples are:

• Hydrogen, synthesised with wind or solar energy
• E-fuels, where fuels are synthesised using green hydrogen and CO₂

Categories of renewable motor fuels

The Act of 31 July 2023 defines 5 categories of renewable motor fuels:

1. Biofuels for which a European or Belgian standard already exists (e.g., biodiesel, ethanol).
2. Biofuels for which no European or Belgian standard exists yet and which can still be blended into fossil motor fuels.
   • Such fuels may be placed on the market if a technical file for them is approved and if the Directorate-General for Energy issues a permit for them.
3. Category A or B biofuels produced from a feedstock that can be double-counted according to the criteria of Directive 2018/2001/EC.
   • Such fuels may be placed on the market if a technical file for them is approved and if the Directorate-General for Energy issues a permit for them.
4. Renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO): gaseous or liquid fuels whose energy content comes from renewable sources other than biomass and whose use is authorised by the minister (e.g., hydrogen produced from wind or solar energy).
5. Recycled carbon fuel (RCF): gaseous or liquid fuels produced from:
   • liquid or solid waste streams of non-renewable origin that are not suitable for material recovery in accordance with Article 4 of Directive 2008/98/EC on waste;
   • waste treatment and exhaust gas of non-renewable origin produced as an unavoidable and unintended consequence of the production process at industrial facilities;
   • and whose use is authorised by the minister;

In addition, for renewable energy in transport, there is also category F (electricity from renewable sources), but we do not catalogue this under motor fuel.

Derogation procedure for marketing non-standard biofuel or pure rapeseed oil

A derogation may be granted for marketing biofuels when, once mixed with diesel or petrol, they do not meet the requirements of standards EN 590 and EN 228.

On the other hand, a derogation may be requested for the use of pure rapeseed oil.

These applications for derogation must meet the requirements of the Royal Decree of 22 November 2006 laying down the rules for placing non-standardised biofuels on the market.

The derogation decision limits the marketing only to those parties who can in no case distribute the biofuel, at a location accessible to end users other than those involved in the application.

The exemptions apply for a period of three years and can be renewed for another 3-year period following a new application. This application may be withdrawn in case of non-compliance with the conditions of the authorisation.

Procedure

The parties involved in the project make a request by registered letter to the Directorate-General for Energy, using the specific project form (RTF, 108.14 KB). The form must be prepared in two copies to be sent to the following address:

The project is then transmitted by the Directorate-General for Energy to the DG Environment of the FPS Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment for approval.

The application can only be considered positively with the joint agreement of the two competent authorities. If applicable, the DG Energy notifies the joint decision, by registered mail within three months of the application.