IFEAA and Bennamann respond to DfT RTFO consultation

IFEAA and Bennamann have submitted a joint response to a consultation from DfT on a proposal to scrap negative emissions credits for biomethane made from manure within the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation. The response argued that these negative credits should be maintained because:

Significant environmental and financial benefits can be obtained through capturing methane emissions from manure, including reducing climate impact due to reductions in methane emissions, reducing ammonia emissions and run off into surrounding water courses

Recent data from ZEMO partnership has shown that the use of biomethane from manure has well to wheels CO₂ emissions of -403 g CO_2e/km with similar energy efficiency to other biofuels.

There is significant interest in the use of biomethane from manure with Waitrose, Evri and Royal Mail using this fuel in their vehicles. A strong motivator for the use this fuel is the negative reported carbon emissions, so scrapping the manure credit may discourage uptake, reducing environmental benefits that could be gained.

Negative credits for biomethane from manure incentivise technologies that capture and create a use for fugitive methane from slurry stores on farms and therefore support the Greenhouse Gas Removal component of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy