The Energy Republic February - March Edition 2023

VDB EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
“Biofuels will be the biggest contribution to decarbonization
in road transport. It will evolve in maritime, aviation sector”
- Elmar Baumann, VDB's Managing Director
The Energy Republic talks to Elmar Baumann, Managing Director of the Associa on of the
German Biofuel Industry (VDB), about the role of biofuel in decarbonising the transporta on
sector and the related climate change impact in the energy industry.
Interview by: Ndubuisi Micheal Obineme
For over 15 years, Elmar Baumann has
been working for the associa on. He
began his professional career as a
technical officer and in 2009, he became
the managing director of VDB. Excerpts:
TER: What's VDB's main interest in the
energy industry?
Baumann: VDB stands for Associa on of
the German Biofuel Industry and our
members are producers of biodiesel and
biomethane. Today, biofuels are mainly
used in road transport. We represent the
interests of our members in Berlin and
Brussels.
VDB also represents the interests of
German biofuel producers at the na onal
and European levels. Its current 15
ordinary and 3 extraordinary members
produce about 2.4 million tons of
biodiesel (and 900 GWh of biomethane)
which represents 60 percent of German
biodiesel produc on.
VDB stands for the present and future of
sustainable mobility in Germany. The
VDB's main objec ves are: to help shape
compe on-oriented framework
condi ons for biofuel development
and to represent the industry externally.
We are dealing with European legisla ve
processes as well as German ones.
We give informa on to poli cians in the
Parliament and the administra on on what
kind of framework our members need to have
and we inform our members about new
developments for example the Fit-for-55
package from Brussels, RED III, and a separate
ETS for road transport.
On the German level, there have been serious
disputes with German ministries this year
about possible changes in the legisla ve
framework and that's where we ar culate our
posi on to poli cians and the public to lobby
for the interest of our industry.
Our member companies are based in several
parts of Germany.
TER: How is VDB developing innova ve
solu ons for biofuel development; Are there
new trends or new technology that your
member companies have been able to produce
so far?
Baumann: Our members are developing and
op mizing their technical processes for biofuel
produc on. As an associa on, we're not involved
in the technical development but inform them
about the legal framework.
We represent a huge produc on volume for cropbased
biofuels. The biggest biofuel in Germany
and Europe is biodiesel because Germany and
Europe are diesel markets. As there's a lack of
diesel fuel produced in German and EU mineral
oil refineries, we import quite a bit of diesel fuel,
mainly from Russia. The imports of Russian
mineral oil and diesel fuel will be stopped at the
end of this year. Biodiesel is a subs tute for fossil
diesel, it helps to compensate for the diesel
shortage and reduces GHG emissions.
The most important feedstock for German
biodiesel produc on is rapeseed oil.
In second place is used cooking oil and tallow. So
the second most important feedstock for German
produc on is waste and residues. Soybean oil
and palm oil are also used in German biodiesel
produc on but to a lesser extent.
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