A study from Chalmers University of Technology suggests that current EU regulations for Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO) may inadvertently favor inefficient production methods. The research indicates that combustion-based pathways for synthetic methanol are being prioritized over gasification, despite the latter being significantly cheaper and less energy-intensive. By excluding certain gasification processes from the RFNBO category, the EU risks locking the aviation industry into more expensive infrastructure. This regulatory gap could hinder the scale-up of fossil-free aviation fuels and make it harder for the region to meet its 2050 climate targets.
