Maya Blagoeva, Executive Director of V-Gas, stated that the use of propane-butane as a transitional fuel is essential for achieving the energy transition goals set by EU legislation.
Gas fuels will continue to be an alternative due to their socially acceptable price. The most popular and rapidly developing fuels at present are hybrid systems – a mixture of propane-butane with air or green hydrogen, added Blagoeva. She commented that the future lies mainly in the production of bioLPG and reLPG – fuels that will be produced from renewable and waste raw materials. Such installations are already operating in the UK and the Netherlands.
On February 29, the Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association (BPGA) presented its vision for the development of sustainable mobility in the transport sector during a press conference at the National Press Club of the Bulgarian Telegraph Agency.
The association’s chairman, Svetoslav Benchev, said that the transition in transport must take place in a meaningful way and at a reasonable socio-economic cost. He pointed out that there is still no serious and in-depth development of the state’s strategy for the development of the transport sector through the prism of decarbonisation and the new European requirements.
Svetoslav Benchev presented the fundamental principles of the vision, citing energy security as the top priority. This principle includes what fuels will be produced, how and where they will be produced, and how they can be delivered. Next is the diversification of energy product supply sources.
It is very important what the transitional fuels will be, because without them, this energy transition cannot happen, noted the chairman of the BPGA. Energy efficiency in transport is also very important, Benchev emphasized. He pointed out that transport is the most energy-intensive sector not only in Bulgaria but also in the European Union (EU). It is important to know how decarbonisation in transport will happen – how and with what fuels it will happen. Diversification means that new fuels must be added to those currently on the market. According to Benchev, the most important thing is to strike a balance between price, quality, and available quantities. Last but not least is the electrification of transport. The BPGA has calculated that if only half of private vehicles switch to electricity, this would mean consumption of 2 gigawatts. However, this is not provided for in Bulgaria’s energy plans.
The BPGA’s vision for the development of the transport sector includes time parameters divided into three periods: from 2024 to 2035, from 2035 to 2045, and after 2045.
According to Svetoslav Benchev, the policies that need to be pursued are, first and foremost, to preserve fuel production in the country. He pointed out that the Bulgarian refinery will have to be modernized. It will have to start producing new types of fuels and develop opportunities for recyclable fuels.
“All this points to the refinery being transformed into more of a petrochemical complex, which would enable these fuels to be supplied within the country” , commented the chairman of the BPGA. He added that biofuel producers should continue to be encouraged to operate within the country, which requires legislative measures. In addition, consideration should be given to the development of sustainable aviation fuels. These are biofuels that are mixed with conventional fuels, which should also start to be produced within the country, but this requires legislative measures and assistance.
The BPGA believes that another important factor is the construction of the Alexandroupolis-Burgas oil pipeline to ensure oil supplies within the country, which would allow the refinery to bypass the Bosphorus and be supplied with oil at all times. However, Benchev pointed out that this oil pipeline must be accompanied by a product pipeline to transport finished products – initially petroleum products, and later unconventional biofuels and other liquid fuels to be imported.От БПГА считат, че другото важно нещо е изграждането на нефтопровода Александруполис – Бургас, за да може да се осигури нефт на територията на страната, което да позволи да се заобиколи Босфорът и във всеки един момент рафинерията да бъде подсигурена с нефт. Бенчев обаче обърна внимание, че към този нефтопровод трябва да има продуктопровод, по който да стигат готови продукти – първоначално нефтопродукти, а след това неконвенционални биогорива и други течни горива, които да бъдат внесени.
Electrification is also very important in transportation. The state however will must seriously invest in building the necessary infrastructure, called by BPGA. For this purpose it will be necessary to limit all administrative regimes that hinder the development of the energy sector. a24> administrative regimes that prevent this from happening. The state must stimulate and build RES capacities around these charging stations, so that this transport can be truly green.
There must be a socially acceptable energy transition in transport. “If we do not have a transition period of at least 10 years in which we can decarbonize transport through propane-butane, liquefied natural gas, and HVO, which is a type of biofuel, prices in Bulgaria will really start to rise alarmingly,” Svetoslav Benchev pointed out. According to him, recycled fuels produced from waste should also be part of the energy mix for the next 10 years. Although these are fossil fuels, this transition cannot be done any other way, explained the chairman of the BPGA. He believes that a fund for energy efficiency in transport should also be created. For this energy transition to happen, transitional fuels must be supported, commented Svetoslav Benchev. Electromobility must also be supported.
It is very important to maintain technological neutrality with regard to the fuels offered, explained the chairman of the BPGA. Benchev specified that this means that no priority can be given to one type of mobility. All available technologies should be applied in an identical manner.
BPGA expert Venelin Marinov said that fuels are greatly affected by the energy transition and therefore consideration must be given to how they will be decarbonized and how the transition in transport will take place. He added that while electrification is possible for light vehicles, it is not currently feasible for heavy and maritime transport, as well as aviation. However, there are solutions for decarbonising air transport based on sustainable aviation fuels, the expert explained.
Marinov added that electrification is not the only solution for decarbonisation in transport, and this has been recognised by the European institutions, which are no longer talking about complete electrification. It is recognised that in 2050 a significant proportion of aviation and marine fuels will be of mineral origin. EU legislation already includes targets for the use of low-carbon and carbon-neutral liquid and gaseous fuels.
Another expert from the Bulgarian Oil and Gas Association, Maya Blagoeva, pointed out that the most important thing is for this transition to take place at a socially acceptable price. She believes that propane-butane has many applications. It is widely available in Bulgaria and could be a very good alternative for the transition over the next 10 years, as the infrastructure is already in place. This will help the transition to be smoother and at a better price. Autogas is popular in Bulgaria because of its low price. For this reason, it should be considered a key factor in the transition period.
