Last week, the US Grains Council (USGC) sent a delegation to Italy and Spain to engage with private sector leaders and policymakers on strategies to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation sector.
The delegation was led by Stephanie Larson, USGC Regional Ethanol Manager for the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Other members included USGC Regional Ethanol Consultant Alberto Carmona Bosch, Murex Vice President of Business Development Jeremy Mall, Marquis Energy Senior Trader Priscilla Domingues, and Nathan Weathers from the Colorado Corn Council.
“The Italian government has committed to a bio-blending mandate targeting five percent (E5) by 2030, but progress has been slow, with current blending at only E0.5. In contrast, E10 is already available in 19 other EU countries, putting Italy behind peers like France and the U.K.,” Larson noted.
Discussions in Italy primarily focused on the economic, environmental, and health benefits of biofuels, aiming to align Italian ethanol policy with other EU markets. The group began by meeting with representatives from Iveco, a leading Italian transportation manufacturer, and the Italian National Association of Motor Carriers to gauge the market and public sentiment toward ethanol, particularly given Italy’s limited ethanol production.
The delegation also addressed Italy’s recent push for policy changes concerning the EU’s internal combustion engine (ICE) ban, set to take effect in 2035, a key issue for the Council within the EU framework.
Meetings included discussions with NextChem, a company focused on green energy solutions, and the Italian National Association of Energy Logistics Companies, to explore Italy’s energy infrastructure and its goals for a global energy transition.
The Italian leg of the program concluded with discussions at Confagricoltura, a major farming cooperative, and the Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, which reaffirmed Italy’s bio-blending mandate and its anticipated compliance by 2025.
In Madrid, the delegation engaged with officials from the Spanish Ministries of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and Ecological Transition to review government policies addressing rising gasoline demand and associated carbon emissions.
The agenda culminated in meetings with key industry associations, including the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings, the Spanish Association of Petroleum Products Operators, and the Spanish Ethanol Association. The aim was to align on strategies to promote increased ethanol usage as Spain implements its E10 blending mandate.
“Spain currently offers an E5 blend to consumers, and the ethanol market is highly concentrated. Nevertheless, U.S. ethanol is competitively priced, positioning producers favorably for any increases in blending rates and consumption,” Larson added.
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