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The European Liquid Heating Fuels Association

Eurofuel

The European Liquid Heating Fuels Association represents the liquid heating fuel supply chain in Europe.

Lobbying Activity

Eurofuel calls for including renewable liquid fuels in security plan

13 Oct 2025
Topic — Revision of the EU energy security framework to adapt to decarbonization.
Message — Eurofuel calls for a technology-neutral approach recognizing renewable liquid fuels as energy carriers. They request their inclusion in security planning, storage standards, and crisis management.12
Why — This protects fuel distributors by ensuring liquid fuels remain part of the EU's energy mix.34
Impact — Proponents of total electrification lose market share to traditional heating infrastructure and biofuel alternatives.5
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Eurofuel urges EU to include renewable liquid heating fuels

9 Oct 2025
Topic — The European Commission is consulting on a strategy to decarbonise heating and cooling.
Message — The association calls for the explicit recognition of renewable liquid fuels to ensure technology neutrality. They advocate for including fuels like HVO in national subsidy schemes and energy efficiency programs.12
Why — The association gains market security by ensuring liquid fuels remain part of Europe's energy mix.3
Impact — Rural households lose access to affordable heating if liquid fuel options are excluded.4
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Eurofuel urges inclusion of renewable fuels in 2040 target

16 Sept 2025
Topic — The EU is amending its Climate Law to establish a 2040 climate target.
Message — Eurofuel requests explicit recognition of renewable liquid heating fuels in EU climate policy. They advocate for technology neutrality to avoid one-size-fits-all approaches that could disadvantage rural households.12
Why — This allows fuel suppliers to maintain their business model and avoid costly infrastructure transitions.34
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Response to European Affordable Housing Plan

3 Jun 2025

Eurofuel, the European Liquid Heating Fuels Association, welcomes the European Commissions initiative to create the European Affordable Housing Plan. We fully support the objectives of this Plan, which aims to guarantee that all citizens, particularly vulnerable groups and middle-income households, have access to affordable, sustainable, and decent housing. This goal is closely related to providing access to clean, efficient, and cost-effective heating solutions, essential for residential comfort and energy efficiency. General Observations Eurofuel commends the Commission for recognising the link between energy and climate policies with housing affordability, especially regarding heating. In this context, we would like to highlight the following points: 1. Inclusive and affordable heating decarbonisation a. Renovating the EUs building stock is essential, but the costs associated with these renovations, especially for upgrading heating systems, can impose a significant financial burden on households, particularly those in the most vulnerable segments of society. b. A variety of solutions is necessary, including the use of renewable liquid fuels and hybrid heating systems, which can provide cost-effective, low-carbon options for existing homes without the need for extensive renovations. 2. Off-Grid and rural housing needs a. 20 million households live in rural and off-grid homes not connected to the gas network, relying on liquid fuels. Transitioning to electric or district heating poses significant challenges and costs. b. The Affordable Housing Plan should prioritise technology neutrality and energy diversity, supporting renewable liquid fuels like HVO and FAME. 3. Fuel flexibility and renovation readiness a. Efficient boilers and hybrid systems can be made renewable-ready, allowing for a gradual transition to renewable fuels. b. EU policies should facilitate this transition through supportive funding schemes and renovation requirements. Recommendations Eurofuel urges the European Commission to ensure the following elements are reflected in the Affordable Housing Plan: 1. Recognition of renewable liquid fuels as a viable decarbonisation option, especially for the existing housing stock and households not connected to gas or district heating networks. 2. Funding and incentives that support technology-inclusive heating system upgrades, considering life-cycle emissions, infrastructure readiness, and the actual cost borne by households. 3. Policy coherence across EU initiativesensuring the Affordable Housing Plan, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), the Energy Taxation Directive (ETD), and national energy and climate plans (NECPs) work together in enabling accessible heating transitions and do not create unnecessary burdens. 4. Data and monitoring frameworks that include heating fuel choice, system readiness for renewable fuels, and consumer cost impacts. Conclusion Eurofuel is prepared to support the development of the European Affordable Housing Plan by offering evidence, technical input, and examples of best practices related to affordable and sustainable heating. It is crucial to ensure that heating decarbonization policies benefit all citizens across all regions, thereby achieving both social equity and the EU's energy and climate objectives. We welcome ongoing engagement with the Commission and would be pleased to participate in the outlined consultation activities. About Eurofuel Eurofuel is an umbrella organisation representing members from Europe and the United States involved in liquid fuels. Eurofuel provides a platform for its members to promote best practice in the use of liquid heating fuels for domestic heating. Members cover the complete home heating supply chain: from oil companies of various sizes through to independent fuel traders and distributors, heating equipment manufacturers and heating installers.
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Eurofuel Urges Inclusion of Renewable Liquid Fuels in Building Methodology

6 May 2025
Topic — Updating the framework for calculating cost-optimal energy performance levels for EU buildings.
Message — The organization calls for the explicit inclusion of renewable liquid fuels in building assessments. They demand mandatory lifecycle emissions calculations and realistic heating solutions for off-grid homes.12
Why — This would preserve the market for liquid fuel products in existing heating systems.34
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Eurofuel urges inclusion of hybrid systems in heat pump plan

16 May 2023
Topic — This consultation aims to accelerate the deployment of heat pumps across Europe.
Message — Eurofuel recommends putting an extra emphasis on hybrid solutions to reduce emissions quickly. They advocate for technology neutrality and suggest boilers using low carbon fuels are quick wins.123
Why — This allows the association's members to continue selling existing boiler technologies.4
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Response to A New European Innovation Agenda

22 Apr 2022

Eurofuel encourages innovation and promotes existing and new liquid fuels and techniques for heating in the domestic market. We would like to add two important points to the call for evidence: - innovation will benefit from the technology neutrality principle. We support a level playing field for all technologies which are able to reduce CO2 emissions following the envisaged reduction path, encouraging investment in innovation (industry) and efficient solutions (consumers) – Technology bans are counter-productive. - innovation needs to be applied in real life. Standardisation bodies need to be involved at an early stage since the process to develop standards is very long.
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Response to Energy labelling requirements for space and combination heaters (review/rescaling)

30 Mar 2022

The European Heating Oil Association (Eurofuel) represents organisations that promote the use of liquid fuels for domestic heating in Europe. Our members are committed to ensuring the competitiveness and efficiency of heating with oil and liquid fuels, while also reducing its environmental footprint. We fully support the objective of Ecodesign to increase the efficiency of products. We would like to point out that in the EU, 20 million households rely on liquid heating fuel. These households are mostly located in rural, off-gas grid areas, where no other affordable alternative to liquid fuel is available, due to technical, economic or social reasons. With this consideration in mind, we would like to comment on the Call for Evidence. First, we welcome the recognition of hybrid heating systems, which are efficient and allow GHG reduction. We would suggest having a more open definition. Indeed, hybrid systems are a combination of different heating systems. It should not be limited to hybrid heat pumps. Hybrid heating systems, which combine heating oil with renewable electricity, solar heat, or biomass, guarantee a reliable supply of heat. These hybrid systems are suitable for the modernisation of old buildings which have higher heating needs. The technology can also be used for well-insulated buildings with less need for heating. In addition, the integration of renewable electricity with innovative power-to-heat technology is also possible. If enough renewable energy is available, it can be converted into heat by means of a heat pump or a heating element in a buffer tank. This further reduces the consumption of heating oil, increases the share of renewable energy in the heating supply and stabilises the electricity grids. Second, the document mentions also mentions “the appropriateness of specific labelling elements for boilers capable of burning hydrogen”. Indeed, technologies that are able to switch over to renewable energies should not be ruled out. This should be considered when creating the label. Likewise, many oil driven heaters are able to use up to 100% renewable fuels and could benefit from a specific labelling element. In the same way, the document mentions the “necessary progress and deployment rates for more efficient alternatives to the fuel boilers that currently dominate the market”. Again, any technology are able to switch over to renewable energies should not be ruled out, and liquid fuels boilers can be more efficient (especially condensing ones, using low carbon or renewable liquid fuels). Third, the document recommends the expansion of the scope for boilers. The threshold established at the rated heat output ≤ 1 MW does not seem appropriate. Heaters above 400 kW and up to 1,000 kW are tailor-made products and differ considerably. What’s more the testing will be difficult for most institutes. Therefore, we do not support the extension of Ecodesign to this product range. Finally, we would like to make some proposals regarding the key issue of re-scaling the energy labels: • Additional information on the label in 2023 o introducing a pictogram for the greening of energy carriers, including green gaseous and liquid fuels o introducing a pictogram for smart appliances and digitalisation to empower the consumer and optimise sector coupling and actual energy use. • Additional information on the label in 2027 Introduce an energy label with 2 scales: o the first scale is an energy carrier specific scale, this would allow the differentiation of products within the same product family o the second scale is a multi-energy scale, this would still allow the comparability of products of other product families. Germany is working on the development of a “Green Fuels Ready Label”. We suggest the same approach at European level. This label would show the technical suitability for greenhouse gas neutral liquid fuels and any mixtures with fossil liquid fuels, and facilitate the selection of future-proof products.
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Response to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU

30 Mar 2022

EUROFUEL welcomes the Commission’s Proposal for a renewed Energy Performance in Building Directive, and fully supports its ambition to decarbonise the building sector by accelerating the adoption of higher-performance and comfortable buildings, reducing energy bills for citizens, as well as facilitating the acceptance of the energy transition. We appreciate in particular the recognition of energy poverty and the needs of energy poor households as key components of the new Directive. The heating oil sector can play a significant role in increasing the renovation rate in Europe helping off-grid located rural houses and energy poor households reduce their emissions from heating using current infrastructure and at low cost with the progressive integration of more efficient and hybrid heating system fuelled by the new generation of renewable and/or low-carbon liquid products. However, we are concerned that in its current form the proposed Directive not only fails to recognise the benefits of an easy to store and easy to transport solution with a very efficient and excellent supply infrastructure already providing heating to over 20 million households in Europe, but also hinders the possibility for citizens living in off-grid communities and rural areas to have access to the necessary incentives (and technologies) to upgrade obsolete and/or inefficient heating systems, which often constitute their first and sometimes only affordable step towards increased energy efficiency. To achieve tangible and equitable outcomes for the successful renovation of the EU building stock, EUROFUEL would therefore like to propose the following policy recommendations for the prospective framework: 1. Reconsidering the focus on “on-site renewable energy sources” To enable the utilisation of the whole portfolio of alternative fuels to decarbonise the building sector and achieve the objectives of the Directive, Eurofuel would like to propose the following: - The definition of “energy from renewable sources’ should be expanded as to include renewable and low-carbon liquid fuels. - The definition of available energy sources to cover the energy needs of an efficient building should be widened as to respect a technology-neutral approach and ensure all low carbon technologies can play a role in decarbonising the EU’s building sector. - A full life-cycle approach should be considered when accounting for on-site emissions and the decarbonisation potential of the available technologies and different energy sources. 2. Avoid technology bans While Eurofuel fully support restrictions imposed on inefficient technologies based on GHG emissions, it strongly opposes the proposed bans of any financial incentives for fossil fuel boilers from 2027 onwards. Such ban wrongly conflates the technology used, i.e. boilers, with the source of the energy used to operate it, i.e. fossil fuels. Heating boilers are a neutral technology that can also be operated with carbon-neutral liquid fuels. Instead of enacting a de-facto ban on specific technologies, the Directive should provide the opportunity to promote low-carbon and renewable liquid fuels by encouraging Member States to offer incentives to accelerate the replacement of old and inefficient heaters across Europe with modern and highly efficient appliances, including more efficient condensing boilers and hybrid systems. We therefore strongly encourage the European Commission to support the deployment of carbon-neutral liquid fuels in the near future, and in particular in relation to alleviating energy poverty, by: - Ensuring that the appropriate incentives are in place to allow a level playing field among the technological low carbon solution available for decarbonising the building sector - Mandating Member States to set requirements for heat generators based on greenhouse gas emissions alone, without banning technologies and/or fuels Please find attached our full position.
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Response to Ecodesign requirements for local space heaters (review)

11 Feb 2022

Eurofuel, which represents the liquid heating fuel sector, is committed to ensuring that liquid heating fuel users can maintain comfortable heating at an affordable cost, while decreasing CO2 emissions. This pragmatic approach focuses on efficiency (since the best energy is the one we don't consume) and the progressive inclusion of low-carbon and renewable liquid fuels. We therefore welcome the ecodesign philosophy. We would like to point out that in the EU, 20 million households rely on liquid heating fuel. These households are mostly located in rural, off-gas grid areas, where no other affordable alternative to liquid fuel is available, due to technical, economic or social reasons. With this consideration in mind, we would like to comment on the Call for Evidence.  “remove the least energy-efficient local space heaters from the market” We fully endorse the EU’s political objective of increasing energy efficiency, and more specifically in the field of heating. However, there should be no market access restrictions. Technologies that are able to switch over to renewable energies should not be ruled out. Many oil driven heaters are able to use up to 100% renewable fuels. This should be considered when creating the label.  “induce new energy and greenhouse gas emissions savings in local space heaters” This should be an opportunity to provide a clear framework for market-uptake of future-proof solutions for low carbon and renewable liquid fuels. These fuels are compatible with boilers (see attached document) and need to be adequately offered to citizens.
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Response to Social and labour aspects of the climate transition

19 Nov 2021

The social aspect of energy transition is a very important element to ensure that the population is engaged in it. We want to emphasize that the EU has to address the needs of all Europeans: taking into account the variety of climates, dwellings and national energy mix, the decarbonisation of heating will need a variety of solutions. This is why an open approach to heating technologies is essential. Liquid heating fuels are a solution for millions of Europeans, and there is a way to increase the energy efficiency and to decrease the CO2 emissions of the sector: Step 1: MAXIMISE EFFICIENCY Improved building insulation and modern condensing boilers are much more energy efficient. Installing modern condensing boilers in all buildings would have immediate benefits. They reduce both fuel oil consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions - by up to 30% compared to outdated boilers. Step 2: MOVE TO HYBRID HEATING SYSTEMS Hybrids build on the strengths of different technologies – i.e. renewables which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and liquid fuel which is readily available independently of the wind and sun. This provides a cost-effective solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. Step 3: INTRODUCE LOW-CARBON AND RENEWABLE LIQUID FUELS Deploy new liquid fuels to comply with the EU long-term climate objective of carbon neutrality. This should be done progressively to reach 100% by 2050. When it comes to taxation, we agrees to use carbon content as a reference for energy taxation. We believe that the new regulatory framework should be based on the following principles: o To ensure an affordable energy transition: tax reduction should be ensured to protect vulnerable consumers, especially in a context of rising energy market prices. In addition, flexibility should be given to off-grid areas where customers choice is limited to certain heating options which might not be the less carbon intense. o Differentiation: given their distinct characteristics, it will be essential to keep the proposed differentiation in taxation levels between heating and transport.
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Eurofuel urges careful assessment of ETS extension to buildings

26 Oct 2021
Topic — The Commission proposes expanding the Emissions Trading System to include new economic sectors.
Message — Eurofuel requests a careful assessment of the social impact of including buildings in the carbon market. They demand that renewable fuels be given a zero emission factor.12
Why — Zero-rating renewable fuels would allow the liquid fuel industry to remain competitive.3
Impact — Vulnerable citizens may suffer from increased energy prices driven by the new system.4
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Response to Review of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency

26 Oct 2021

Eurofuel welcomes the Commission’s proposal and we consider energy efficiency as the most cost-effective tool to address climate change and reduce emissions from the building sector for all types of households. The “Energy Efficiency First” principle should be acknowledged throughout the text to enable the contribution of the wide range of existing heating solutions. As such, we are encouraging the modernisation of heating systems with more performing, condensing boilers, and informing our customers about the various options at their disposal to increase the energy performance of their heating systems and buildings, therefore reducing their energy bills.
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Eurofuel calls for technology openness and lower heating taxes

26 Oct 2021
Topic — The European Union is reviewing taxation rules to support climate-neutral economy goals.
Message — Eurofuel requests a level playing field and technology openness for all clean solutions. They argue for tax reductions to protect vulnerable consumers and lower rates for heating.123
Why — Preferential tax rates for heating would help preserve their members' market share.4
Impact — Environmental groups may see lower taxes as stalling the green transition.5
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Response to Revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001

26 Oct 2021

The Commission’s proposal is too restrictive as it essentially identifies direct electrification and district heating and cooling as the only solutions to decarbonise the energy sector. Such an approach however is very narrow, as it fails to acknowledge the potential of low carbon and renewable liquid fuels for heating in off-grid areas (https://www.eurofuel.eu/images/Heating_with_liquid_fuels.pdf). As “drop-in” fuels, they can be used without major alterations in existing heating systems. A proposal based on a technology neutral approach would be welcomed. Leaving the door open for additional low carbon and renewable heating solutions would deliver a more user-centred transition, providing every household with the most appropriate and affordable solutions tailored to their needs. This principle should be reflected throughout the text, avoiding discrimination between heating systems leading to ineffective technology bans. As such, the reference to “fossil heating systems” should be removed to recognise the decarbonisation potential of all heating solutions. This would mean amending Article 1, paragraph 12 (amending paragraph 4 of Article 23 of RED II) accordingly. It is indeed conceptually wrong to define a heating system as “fossil”. There is no fossil fuel system as such, as its nature depends on the type of energy (e.g. fossil or renewable) used to power it. In other words, a heating system powered by fossil fuels today could be operated by renewables in the future (https://www.eurofuel.eu/publications/position-papers/item/462-eu-field-tests). Thus, efforts should be done to decarbonise the energy source instead of replacing heating systems.
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Response to Revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2010/31/EU

22 Mar 2021

As an association active in the liquid heating fuels industry, we would like first to remind the many benefits they bring: easy to store and easy to transport, they have a high energy density, which means they are very efficient, and an excellent supply infrastructure. They are necessary for 20 million households in Europe, often in off-grid areas with limited options for heating. Liquid fuels are more than conventional fossil fuels like heating oil. They also include the new generation of renewable and/or low-carbon liquid products. Our approach proposes to switch to a condensing boiler, with an hybrid system, lowering significantly the consumption of liquid fuel (thus reducing the greenhouse gas emissions), while avoiding major renovation work. At a later stage, incorporating low-carbon liquid fuels progressively will ensure a smooth transition for these households, in line with the EU 2050 climate target. As such, consumers increase their energy performance while keeping the renovation work affordable. Consumers should be able to decide between the widest range of options possible, adopting a technology-open approach. We therefore strongly encourage the European Commission to carefully assess in its preparatory work the following elements: • The impact of banning existing technologies that will support the deployment of carbon-neutral liquid fuels in the near future, and in particular in relation to alleviating energy poverty; • The contribution of carbon-neutral liquid fuels to the EU decarbonization objectives, in addition to other solutions. We believe that a phased approach to the likely introduction of mandatory minimum energy performance standards for different types of buildings will be critical to ensure social acceptance. We support future initiatives that will facilitate regular upgrades of obsolete and/or inefficient heating systems. Given the high costs of buildings refurbishment, such upgrades often constitute at the time being the first and sometimes only affordable step towards increased energy efficiency for EU consumers. EU/Governments need to understand the role and benefit that new low carbon liquid fuel can play in reducing emissions from heating using current infrastructure and at low cost to the consumer which should be a key element to considered. We therefore would strongly advise against banning specific types of appliances. Unlocking fiscal and policy incentives, together with private investments will allow the necessary upgrades to happen. The gains will go beyond decarbonisation, contributing to put energy poverty at bay.
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Eurofuel warns against including building heating in EU carbon trading

26 Nov 2020
Topic — The Commission is reviewing the Emissions Trading System to include new sectors like buildings.
Message — The association argues for a coherent policy framework before adding new sectors to the carbon market. They emphasize that any inclusion must respect technology neutrality and treat all heating energies consistently.12
Why — Excluding liquid fuels from carbon pricing protects the sector from cost increases and competitive disadvantages.34
Impact — Consumers and off-grid households face increased bills without access to affordable heating alternatives.56
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Response to Review of Directive 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency

21 Sept 2020

Please find attached Eurofuel's contribution.
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Response to Revision of the Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001

21 Sept 2020

Please find attached our feedback. Thank you for your consideration.
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Response to A EU hydrogen strategy

8 Jun 2020

Eurofuel, the European Heating Oil Association, supports the idea to develop an optimised energy system which will contribute to decarbonisation. In our view, hydrogen is one of several possibilities to cope with renewable strategies. Hydrogen is the basis for liquid PtX products which have several advantages. It is indeed essential to scale up renewable hydrogen which will be needed in many applications. Heating is one of the potential applications: hydrogen, combined with carbon from biomass or CO2 extracted from the air, can be used to produce a synthetic liquid energy carrier. For heating, PtX products offer many advantages: liquid fuels are easy to transport and ensure an independent and reliable supply of energy. 20 million households in Europe rely on heating oil, a pragmatic solution for off-grid houses. Most of them cannot switch easily to other heating systems, and should not be forgotten in the “hard-to-decarbonise” area. Liquid fuels have many benefits and low-carbon fuels, with their reduced carbon footprint, offer a sustainable alternative, with a CO² reduction typically between 60 to 80%. They are drop in products, which means that they can be easily used in conventional liquid fuel heating systems. The benefit for the consumers is to keep their existing reliable heating system without the need for any major investment or significant changes, while contributing to the energy transition. It is important, while the role of hydrogen is acknowledged, not to restrict its use. The scaling up will allow in the future a broad range of applications and to restrict its potential now could lead to lock-in effects. The principle of ‘technology neutrality’ is central in the European Union’s approach to climate and energy policy (European Commission: COM(2016)860, “Clean Energy For All Europeans”, 30 November 2016). If the climate goals are to be achieved, all solutions must play a role.
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Response to Strategy for smart sector integration

3 Jun 2020

Eurofuel, the European Heating Oil Association, supports the principle of Smart Sector Integration Strategy. We have a few suggestions: 1. The role of low-carbon fuels The roadmap mentions that “fossil-based gases and fuels need to be progressively replaced by renewable and decarbonised gases and fuels, especially in hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as air transport or certain industrial processes”. 20 million households in Europe rely on heating oil, a pragmatic solution for off-grid houses. Most of them cannot switch easily to other heating systems, and should not be forgotten in the “hard-to-decarbonise” area. Liquid fuels have many benefits and low-carbon fuels, with their reduced carbon footprint, offer a sustainable alternative, with a CO² reduction typically between 60 to 80%. They are drop in products. This means that they can be easily used in conventional liquid fuel heating systems. The benefit for the consumers is to keep their existing reliable heating system without the need for any major investment or significant changes, while contributing to the energy transition. 2. The importance of technology neutrality The roadmap refers to the preference for heat pumps in buildings. We suggest to EU policy makers to set targets while remaining “technology neutral”: the principle of ‘technology neutrality’ is central in the European Union’s approach to climate and energy policy (European Commission: COM(2016)860, “Clean Energy For All Europeans”, 30 November 2016). If the climate goals are to be achieved, all solutions must play a role. In heating, there is no one size fits all. Article 7(5) of the EU Buildings Directive 2018/844/EU clearly stipulates that in relation to buildings undergoing major renovation, taking into account a healthy indoor climate, high-efficiency alternative systems should be used, in so far as this is technically, functionally and economically feasible. Not all buildings can be supplied with grid-based energy and due to topographic conditions, it is, from a technical perspective, impossible or, from an economic perspective, extremely expensive, to switch to a biomass boiler or to heat pumps. Particular attention should be given to off-grid rural houses which have specific energy needs which can be accommodated through already existing cost and energy efficient technologies. We strongly believe in keeping the market open and improve consumers’ information so that everyone has fair conditions to choose the most appropriate heating system for their specific situation. In this regard, hybrid systems should not be forgotten. A hybrid heating system combines two or more energy sources: the combination of renewables such as photovoltaics, and liquid fuel which can be stored and used whenever the renewables are not sufficient, allows consumers to benefit from the best of each technology. Heating with liquid fuels will contribute to the success of the energy transition in three steps: Step 1: MAXIMISE BOILER EFFICIENCY Installing modern oil-fired condensing boilers in all buildings would have immediate benefits. They reduce both fuel oil consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions - by up to 30% compared to outdated boilers. Step 2: MOVE TO HYBRID HEATING SYSTEMS Hybrids build on the strengths of different technologies – ie. renewables which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and oil which is readily available independently of the wind and sun. This can provide a cost-effective solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. Step 3: INTRODUCE CO² NEUTRAL LIQUID FUELS Deploy new liquid fuels that are CO² neutral, to comply with the long-term climate objective.
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Response to Commission Communication – "Renovation wave" initiative for the building sector

29 May 2020

Eurofuel, the European Heating Oil Association, supports the principle of the renovation wave, and its focus on energy efficiency in buildings. We have a few suggestions: We suggest to EU policy makers to set targets while remaining “technology neutral”: the principle of ‘technology neutrality’ is central in the European Union’s approach to climate and energy policy (European Commission: COM(2016)860, “Clean Energy For All Europeans”, 30 November 2016). If the climate goals are to be achieved, all solutions must play a role. In heating, there is no one size fits all. Article 7(5) of the EU Buildings Directive 2018/844/EU clearly stipulates that in relation to buildings undergoing major renovation, taking into account a healthy indoor climate, high-efficiency alternative systems should be used, in so far as this is technically, functionally and economically feasible. Not all buildings can be supplied with grid-based energy and due to topographic conditions, it is, from a technical perspective, impossible or, from an economic perspective, extremely expensive, to switch to a biomass boiler or to heat pumps. The renovation wave should be fair and inclusive, to guarantee that all citizens live in efficient homes. Decarbonisation of heating should and can be done in a socially fair way, and particular attention should be given to off-grid rural houses, which represent 24% of the EU residential buildings as noted by the European Union Building Stock Observatory. These households have specific energy needs which can be accommodated through already existing cost and energy efficient technologies. We strongly believe in keeping the market open and improve consumers’ information so that everyone has fair conditions to choose the most appropriate heating system for their specific situation. The emergence of hybrid heating solutions can also be an opportunity to provide European workers with new skills, an essential element to secure long-term quality jobs. Too often, installers are specialised in one or two technologies, and are therefore not able to provide advice on the best technology for your home. This limits the information end-users are entitled to and prevents from making the right choice for each building. Thanks to its reliability, affordability and efficiency, heating with liquid fuels is a concrete option for European households. By driving innovation in the production of heating fuels, our sector will contribute to the success of the energy transition in three steps: Step 1: MAXIMISE BOILER EFFICIENCY Installing modern oil-fired condensing boilers in all buildings would have immediate benefits. They reduce both fuel oil consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions - by up to 30% compared to outdated boilers. Step 2: MOVE TO HYBRID HEATING SYSTEMS Hybrids build on the strengths of different technologies – ie. renewables which reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and oil which is readily available independently of the wind and sun. This can provide a cost-effective solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. Step 3: INTRODUCE CO² NEUTRAL LIQUID FUELS Deploy new liquid fuels that are CO² neutral, to comply with the long-term climate objective.
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Eurofuel demands support for oil industry's low-carbon fuel shift

27 Mar 2020
Topic — The EU is proposing to increase the 2030 greenhouse gas emission reduction target.
Message — The organization asks how the oil industry will be supported to adapt. They highlight that the potential for low-carbon fuels should not be overlooked.12
Why — The proposed support would help ensure the future competitiveness of heating with oil.3
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Eurofuel seeks energy content-based taxation for liquid heating fuels

27 Mar 2020
Topic — The European Commission is revising energy taxation rules to support climate goals.
Message — Eurofuel recommends focusing on the energy content of fuels to ensure technology neutrality. They argue that low-carbon heating fuels should be included in the transition.12
Why — This approach would preserve the market competitiveness of liquid heating fuel companies.3
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Response to European Partnership for Clean Hydrogen

21 Aug 2019

Eurofuel, the European Heating Oil association, believes that this initiative would benefit from opening its scope to include liquid fuels based on hydrogen. There is a real potential for hydrocarbon-based fuels for heating and Eurofuel would be keen to contribute.
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