EMEA News
EU Members Concerned About Plans for Clean Fuel Infrastructure
A meeting of the European Union (EU)'s Transport Council on Monday revealed reservations about plans for an EU-wide alternative energy infrastructure development plan, the European news outlet Europolitics reports.
The plan, announced in January, calls for the installation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) refuelling stations at 139 EU ports by 2025, along with other electric and alternative fuel transportation infrastructure.
Some member states called the plans "burdensome," "hard to meet," "unrealistic," and "premature," and some argued that certain deadlines for implementation should be moved from 2020 to 2030.
Some nations also said they expected financial incentives for the construction of infrastructure, although Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas argued that investment should come from the private sector and shouldn't require public funds.
Kallas said the commission could be "flexible on the details" of the plan.
"We can discuss targets and local situations," he said.
The plans for LNG stations would set a 2020 deadline for maritime ports and 2025 for inland ports.
Some European ports are moving forward with plans for LNG bunkering: The Port of Zeebrugge recently announced plans for pilot projects, and a working group led by the Port of Antwerp is developing guidelines for the safe use of LNG bunkers.
