Finnish energy company Neste is starting "the final phase" of testing a 'renewable gasoline', with which it aims to help reduce the consumption of fossil gasoline and the high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions from conventional cars.
The European Union (EU) recently increased its target for the reduction of the greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.
There are also ambitious national targets in Sweden and Finland, for example, including separate emissions reduction mandates for the gasoline pool. However, the currently existing alternatives for gasoline-powered cars do not enable a significant reduction in fossil gasoline use in a short enough time frame.
Neste explained in a press release that they are now taking steps to solve this challenge. The company says that with its 'renewable gasoline' greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 65% during the fuel's life cycle compared to fossil fuels.
The energy company adds that its objective is to improve that figure to achieve up to a 90% reduction in emissions with the use of fuel.
"This would mean that greenhouse gas emissions during the life cycle of the fuel would be equivalent to those of an electric vehicle," highlights Neste.
Until now, there have been no commercial drop-in solutions for replacing fossil gasoline to reduce high amounts of greenhouse gas emissions from conventional petrol cars, without investing into new vehicles or modifying the old ones.
Raise national ambitions
According to the company, the product fulfills EN228 standard and can be used in both existing and new gasoline and hybrid cars. "Renewable gasoline could, therefore, provide yet another tool for the EU to achieve its climate goals," the company says.
“With Neste's renewable gasoline, greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by up to 65% compared to fossil gasoline. Thus, countries could raise their national ambitions to reduce even more greenhouse gas emissions as the industry is able to introduce new, impactful solutions,” says Carl Nyberg, Executive Vice President, Renewable Road Transportation at Neste.
Tests of the new fuel are ongoing in Sweden together with Powertrain Engineering Sweden AB, a supplier to Volvo Cars.
“We are following the development of renewable fuels, such as Neste’s renewable gasoline, with great interest, and we believe it has great potential. The combination of our products and Neste’s renewable gasoline will allow vehicle owners to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 65 percent,” says Michael Fleiss, CEO for Powertrain Engineering Sweden.
