Miriam Dalli stresses importance of biofuels to reach renewable energy targets

Miriam Dalli has drawn attention to the importance of electrification in reaching the EU’s 2030 renewable energy targets, saying that this can play a long-term role in the decarbonisation of transport.

In a press release today, the Labour MEP and Social & Democrats energy spokesperson emphasised the need to actively use of biofuels to create a cleaner transport system powered by renewables.

She maintained that S&D MEPs had this week opposed an attempt by the Conservatives and Reformists to dilute the EU’s ambitious targets during an renewable energy vote in the European Parliament’s environment committee.

“In the future we will need mass production of clean fuels, as demand in transport will keep on growing,” Dalli explained, “We need high quality standards with strict and applicable sustainability criteria."

The S&D is insisting that inaction would not only lead to dependency on expensive energy imports, but it would also endanger the EU´s commitment to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.

She added that road emission levels in Malta had shot up by 16.4 percent between 2005 and 2014. To help counter this, the government had presented a National Transport Strategy leading to 2050, and an Operational Transport Master Plan for 2025, she said.

Moreover, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had also announced plans to set a deadline for the banning of petrol and diesel cars.