Which Fuels Should the EU Back for Shipping? - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica presents a strategic analysis of maritime fuels for the European Union, emphasizing the importance of selecting fuels that are sustainable, scalable, and support Europe’s energy sovereignty. It argues that homegrown renewable hydrogen-based fuels can effectively decarbonize the shipping sector, reduce reliance on imports, and generate thousands of local jobs. The EU’s decision-making should prioritize fuels that deliver genuine emissions reductions across their entire lifecycle without causing negative side effects such as deforestation or food security issues. The article cautions against backing fossil LNG and crop-based biofuels, as these options fail to meet the EU’s environmental and strategic criteria and risk prolonging dependence on imported fossil fuels. While some advanced biofuels derived from European feedstocks may be sustainable, their limited availability makes them unsuitable for a large-scale industrial strategy. Instead, the EU’s Maritime Strategy and Sustainable Transport Investment Plan should focus on green hydrogen and e-fuels like e-ammonia and e-methanol, which are identified