Brussels — The EU rules setting binding limits on CO2 emissions from new heavy-duty trucks have entered into force, paving the way for LNG demand from such trucks to reach an estimated 1.1 million mt of oil equivalent by 2025, as per European Commission forecasts.
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Register NowThe rules require new trucks to emit 15% less CO2 on average by 2025, and 30% less from 2030, in a move set to boost demand for lower carbon fuels, such as LNG, hydrogen and electricity.
The EC has estimated the curbs could more than double LNG demand from trucks by 2025, compared with 500,000 mtoe in a baseline scenario.
By 2030, the curbs could more than triple LNG demand from trucks to 4.4 million mtoe, up from 1.3 million mtoe in a baseline scenario, according to EC estimates.
Diesel would still dominate the truck market in 2030, however, with an estimated demand of 64.5 million mtoe. But the EC estimated that would be nearly 10% lower than the 71.4 million mtoe projected in a baseline scenario without emission curbs.
Overall, the curbs could save 170 million mt, or 1.24 billion barrels, of oil over the next two decades, accordingto the EC.ELECTRIC OPTIONS The EU will have to expand its charging infrastructure urgently to enable unrestricted cross-border movement for electric powertrain technologies, the Czech Republic, Germany and Hungary said in a joint statement in June.
This will need "a concerted strategy" from the EU and national governments, the statement said.
"Charging infrastructure for heavy-duty vehicles, as opposed to passenger cars, presents new and different challenges," Germany said.
They also called for the EC to carry out a planned review of the rules in 2022 "without preconceived conclusions."
ZERO-EMISSION CHALLENGE
The prospects for zero-emission heavy duty trucks -- either fully electric or hydrogen-fueled -- are more uncertain than diesel or LNG, the EC had said in its impact assessment of the draft rules published last year.
The main barriers are high costs and the lack of recharging and refueling infrastructure.
The new rules will require 2% of new heavy duty trucks to be zero-emission or low-emission -- having tailpipe CO2 emissions significantly lower than average conventional trucks -- by 2025.
The EC will also have to propose new post-2030 curbs in 2022.
The new rules, first proposed by the EC in May 2018, are part of the EU's wider efforts to decarbonize its economyby 2050.
They were signed off by the European Parliament and the EU Council, which represents national governments, in June, and were published in the EU's Official on July 25, entering into force 20 days later on August 14.
Related story: EU rules requiring more low-emission public buses by 2030 in force
-- Siobhan Hall, siobhan.hall@spglobal.com
-- Edited by Manish Parashar, manish.parashar@spglobal.com