Meeting the European Union’s climate neutrality target by 2050 will require a broad energy mix, not only renewable electricity but also synthetic fuels in liquid and gaseous forms. A critical component in producing these fuels is carbon dioxide (CO₂), which can be captured from many processes in industry and energy production.
The European Commission’s Delegated Act 2023/1185 sets out the regulatory framework for which CO₂ emissions can be used to produce synthetic fuels. Eligible sources include biogenic CO₂ (from biological origins) and certain industrial emissions, provided these emissions are covered by effective carbon pricing. Fossil-based CO₂ from industry will remain eligible until 2040, while CO₂ from fossil power generation is eligible until 2035. (....)