Feedstock analysis, technical and achievable potential of advanced biofuels, renewable gases and recycled carbon fuels for the Greek transport sector until 2050

Abstract

We find that there is sufficient technical feedstock availability for Greece to reach its medium-term targets on the production and use of advanced biofuels, renewable gases, electrofuels and recycled carbon fuels for the Greek transport sector. Our analysis suggests that the biomass fraction of municipal solid waste, the biomass fraction of industrial waste, animal manure and sewage sludge, tree prunings, carbon dioxide feedstocks from industrial sources and refuse derived fuels/plastics are feedstocks with sufficient availability until 2050 for the production of renewable fuels and gases for the transport sector in Greece. As a rough indicator, if all the technically achievable feedstocks covered in this study are converted into associated advanced fuels (excluding recycled carbon fuels), this could equate to 7% in 2020, 8.2% in 2030, 9.3% in 2040 and 10.3% in 2050 of the total energy consumed in the transport sector. With policy support, the production of biomethane from the biomass fraction of municipal solid waste, hydrotreated vegetable oil and recycled carbon fuels have possibilities in Greece by 2030, while electrofuels and biomethane from other sources have possibilities by 2040 and lignocellulosic ethanol does not have possibilities in the long run due to limited feedstocks and high costs.