Article 7a of the Fuel Quality Directive (FQD) was transposed into Irish law in April 2017 by the European Union (greenhouse gas emission reductions, calculation methods and reporting requirements) regulations (SI 160 of 2017).
The regulations oblige fuel suppliers to reduce the carbon intensity of transport fuels by 6% by the end of 2020, from a 2010 baseline. The primary means of achieving this target will be by substituting sustainable biofuels for fossil fuels (diesel and gasoline). Electric vehicles will also play a role.
The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) has been designated as the government agency responsible for administering compliance by fuel suppliers with the 6% target. It will establish guidelines on reporting the greenhouse gas intensity of fuel and energy supplied within the State, and will be responsible for ensuring that the data submitted is subject to verification.
NORA is also the administrator of the biofuels obligation scheme (BOS), which requires suppliers of road transport fossil fuels to substitute sustainable biofuel for fossil fuel (the obligation is currently 8%, by volume). As fuel suppliers will be placing biofuels on the market to satisfy both the FQD and the BOS compliance frameworks, the expectation is that an integrated administrative system will facilitate dual reporting.
In previous articles we have examined the implications of the FQD carbon reduction target and associated reporting requirements, and assessed the progress made by Ireland's fuel suppliers towards the target.