Christmas is a time of reunion and millions of people prepare their trips to spend the holidays in the company of their family and loved ones. The comfort and versatility of the private vehicle once again make this option the favorite for short and medium-distance trips, a classic choice although more and more technological innovations are being consolidated that allow car trips to be more comfortable, faster, and safer. ...and also sustainable.
European legislation establishes that all fuels supplied at service stations must include 10% renewable fuels, a percentage that must increase to 12% in 2026. But the novelty in this year that is about to end is that drivers can now fill the tank with 100% renewable diesel or gasoline.
With the term renewable fuels we refer to fuels that are generated from renewable raw materials such as used vegetable oils that we use for frying, forestry waste or organic remains from agriculture and the agri-food industry.
Their main benefit is that they minimize emissions. Because? Dolores Cárdenas, a fuel development expert at the Repsol Technology Lab, explains it to us: “The CO₂ emitted in combustion had previously been removed from the atmosphere to be able to produce these renewable fuels,” she points out.
And based on this, they are a particularly effective option in road transport. What is the reason? Its properties are identical to those of fuels of conventional origin and are compatible with current engines and with all existing distribution and refueling infrastructure.
Precisely, this direct compatibility with the fleet that is already operating will play a prominent role in the decarbonization of transportation. Its importance is notable especially in the most complex segments to electrify, such as the distribution of goods by road and the maritime or air sectors.
But for drivers to enjoy these benefits, it is necessary to have points where they can refuel this type of fuel. To achieve this, Repsol has launched an ambitious initiative through which 100% renewable fuels are already supplied at fifty service stations distributed between Spain and Portugal, a figure that will multiply in 2024.
The first steps were taken last May, with three service stations that began supplying 100% renewable fuels located in the Mercamadrid market, in Esparraguera (Barcelona) and Alcochete (Lisbon region). Since then, new stations have been progressively incorporated that supply vehicles with either 100% renewable diesel or 100% renewable gasoline.
Being able to increase the supply of fuel with a low or zero carbon footprint for the final consumer necessarily involves stimulating its production. Repsol estimates that in 2025 it will have the capacity to produce 1.3 million tons of 100% renewable fuels. Five years later, the figure will increase to two million tons.
The first step will be taken in the coming weeks with the launch in Cartagena (Murcia) of the first plant on the Iberian Peninsula dedicated to the exclusive production of advanced biofuels manufactured from organic waste. In it it will be possible to manufacture 100% renewable fuels for all transport sectors, land, maritime and aviation (biokerosene) from used cooking oil, coming mainly from the hospitality industry and recycling from individuals. The plant will produce 250,000 tons per year, which will avoid the emission of around 900,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
