Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

138. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment about the classification of HVO fuel as a vehicular fuel; if there are plans to expand its classification to include home heating uses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1906/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

140. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment what supports are available to households to upgrade their boilers to make them compatible with biofuels and if there are plans to increase this; how many households upgraded their boilers to be compatible with biofuels in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1908/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

142. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will report on biofuels as a home heating method; the number of households who used biofuels as a home heating method in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; the size of the reduction in emissions this yielded; how this method compares with other home heating methods, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1910/24]

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

143. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there are plans to increase biofuels as a home heating method; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1911/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 138, 140, 142 and 143 together.

HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil) is a drop-in fuel which can replace fossil diesel up to 100%, with GHG reduction benefits. When used in transport, HVO is referred to as biofuel. HVO bioliquid is also used as renewable energy for heating and power generators. SI 350 of 2022, which transposes Directive (EU) 2018/2001 on the promotion of energy from renewable sources, defines biofuels as liquid fuel for transport produced from biomass, and bioliquids as liquid fuel for energy purposes other that for transport, including electricity and heating and cooling, produced from biomass.

Liquid renewable fuels may be best used in transport systems that are more difficult to decarbonise and their use should be incentivised in the transport energy market. HGVs and the aviation sector have no alternative for sustainable fuel, unlike the domestic heating for which we can turn to other alternatives. Biofuels are a core transitional technology relied upon for the medium-term reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the road transport sector.

The National Heat Study considered a number of potential options to decarbonise the heating and cooling sectors to 2050. This included the use of liquid biofuels, solid biomass, biogases, and other technologies such as heat pumps and district heating networks in a wide range of dwelling and business types.

The Study finds that bioliquids are not a cost-effective option for heat in any sector in any of the scenarios that were considered, but does find that heat pumps can play a significant role in decarbonising heat. The recommendation of the Study is that heat pumps are the optimal decarbonisation path for domestic heating systems, with district heating also identified as a competitive option that can be widely deployed.

The information sought in respect of bioliquids in the heat sector or households upgrading their boilers to be compatible with bioliquids is not readily available. A breakdown of biofuels supplied in the transport sector and associated emissions savings in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, as published in the Energy in Ireland 2023 report, is set out in the table below:

Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

139. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he is aware of the proportion of HVO fuel that is supplied within and to Ireland that is sustainable versus land use destructive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1907/24]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Used cooking oil (UCO) is a key feedstock for production of biodiesel and HVO but is a limited resource. Additional demand for UCO has an impact on cost which could lead to a risk of substitution with cheaper palm oil, which can have associated high-indirect land use change- risk globally.

The risk of fuel fraud in global biofuel feedstock supply chains is being addressed at a European level through the introduction of more rigorous verification requirements. These measures include the implementation of an EU Database for biofuels, and new supervision powers to Member States competent authorities to oversee certification bodies responsible for ensuring the verifying information entered in the EU Database by fuel suppliers.

Responding to recommendations in the Biofuel Study 2022 and Climate Change Advisory Council Annual Report 2022, a working group established by the Department of Transport under the Renewable Transport Fuel Policy, will address the potential risk or vulnerability to biofuel fraud (leading to high ILUC / indirect land use change risk), and other indirect impacts, as a result of the planned future increase in biofuels supply into Ireland under climate action plan targets, thereby supporting the Renewable Transport Fuel Policy’s sustainability objectives.