U.S., EU, Brazil compile biofuels standards report
January 10, 2008
BY Jessica Ebert
Web exclusive posted Feb. 5, 2008, at 7:51 a.m. CST
Technical experts from standards-developing organizations in the United States, European Union and Brazil have been meeting regularly over the past six months to review standards for ethanol and biodiesel. On Feb. 1, the joint task force released an analysis of current biofuels specifications with the goal of facilitating the expanded trade of these renewable fuels. The report was solicited by the U.S. and Brazilian governments, and the European Commission on behalf of the EU.
One potential obstacle to achieving greater efficiency in the global biofuels market is confusion over differing—and sometimes conflicting—standards for characterizing the makeup and properties of biofuels. To clarify the current situation and identify potential roadblocks to improved compatibility, the task force was charged with comparing the specifications in existing ethanol and biodiesel standards, including factors such as content, physical characteristics and contaminant levels that govern a fuel's quality. The new report, titled "White Paper on Internationally Compatible Biofuels Standards," identified where key specifications in the standards were: 1) similar enough to be considered compatible; 2) different, but could be reconciled in a short time; or 3) irreconcilably different in their current form.
After analyzing thousands of pages of technical documents produced by ASTM International, the Brazilian Technical Standards Association and the European Committee for Standardization, the experts found that these three sets of biofuels standards and the specifications they contain share common ground and impose few impediments to biofuels trade. In terms of ethanol, nine of the 16 ethanol specifications reviewed are "in alignment," according to the task force. For biodiesel, the report lists six specifications out of 24 as compatible, and suggests that many of the remaining differences could be handled by blending various types of biodiesel to create an end-product that meets regional specifications for fuel quality and emissions. Additionally, all but one of the remaining specifications could be aligned in the short term.
Technical experts from standards-developing organizations in the United States, European Union and Brazil have been meeting regularly over the past six months to review standards for ethanol and biodiesel. On Feb. 1, the joint task force released an analysis of current biofuels specifications with the goal of facilitating the expanded trade of these renewable fuels. The report was solicited by the U.S. and Brazilian governments, and the European Commission on behalf of the EU.
One potential obstacle to achieving greater efficiency in the global biofuels market is confusion over differing—and sometimes conflicting—standards for characterizing the makeup and properties of biofuels. To clarify the current situation and identify potential roadblocks to improved compatibility, the task force was charged with comparing the specifications in existing ethanol and biodiesel standards, including factors such as content, physical characteristics and contaminant levels that govern a fuel's quality. The new report, titled "White Paper on Internationally Compatible Biofuels Standards," identified where key specifications in the standards were: 1) similar enough to be considered compatible; 2) different, but could be reconciled in a short time; or 3) irreconcilably different in their current form.
After analyzing thousands of pages of technical documents produced by ASTM International, the Brazilian Technical Standards Association and the European Committee for Standardization, the experts found that these three sets of biofuels standards and the specifications they contain share common ground and impose few impediments to biofuels trade. In terms of ethanol, nine of the 16 ethanol specifications reviewed are "in alignment," according to the task force. For biodiesel, the report lists six specifications out of 24 as compatible, and suggests that many of the remaining differences could be handled by blending various types of biodiesel to create an end-product that meets regional specifications for fuel quality and emissions. Additionally, all but one of the remaining specifications could be aligned in the short term.
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