Deutsche Umwelthilfe sues Ministry of Transport over HVO100 exhaust tests
Deutsche Umwelthilfe claims HVO100 harms the environment and seeks to compel the Ministry of Transport to release exhaust emission values of this synthetic fuel
The DUH would prefer to see no more petrol pumps at all.
(Image: Kuznetsov Alexey/Shutterstock.com)
Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) is taking legal action against the Federal Ministry of Transport over the synthetic fuel HVO100. According to the DUH, the Ministry does not want to publish the values of its own exhaust gas measurements for the synthetic substitute for diesel fuel made from crude oil.
HVO100, which has also been on sale in Germany since the end of May, is a semisynthetic fuel that is synthesized from any hydrocarbons, such as cooking fat or plastic waste, with hydrogen to produce liquid fuel. If the hydrocarbons used do not come from fossil sources and the electricity for hydrogen production comes from renewable sources (so-called green hydrogen), the CO₂ cycle is closed by up to 90 percent. Ideally, the atmosphere can be relieved of climate-damaging carbon dioxide by this amount if engines run on this instead of fuel from fossil sources.
DUH: Excessive nitrogen oxide emissions
The DUH now claims to have measured increased nitrogen oxide levels in individual vehicles in its own measurements by its Emissions Control Institute (EKI). In a VW Touareg with the Euro 5 emissions standard, it was up to 20 percent higher. The association calls HVO100 a "sham solution" because it is significantly more harmful to health than diesel fuel made from crude oil and is therefore unsuitable for road traffic despite its positive effect on the climate.
The Federal Ministry of Transport has not responded to repeated inquiries about the exhaust gas values, writes Umwelthilfe. This was followed on June 14 by an application under the Environmental Information Act (UIG), in which DUH requested information by July 12. After this was also ignored, DUH filed its complaint with the Berlin Administrative Court on July 18.
This means that the ministry is now in double trouble in connection with HVO100. Top civil servant Oliver Luksic was the patron of an HVO100 campaign by the automobile club "Mobil in Deutschland". Research by ZDF recently suggested that this club had advertised in a presentation for the "HVO100 goes Germany" campaign by arranging appointments with top officials from the Ministry of Transport in return for payment. Wissing and Luksic deny any such activity, and their patronage is now suspended.
(fpi)