E-fuels and ERE-R: from e-methanol to e-diesel

From electricity to fuel

A producer can use renewable electricity to make hydrogen and process it into another fuel. Examples include e-methanol and synthetic diesel. Products containing carbon also require a carbon source.

If the energy comes from renewable sources other than biomass and production meets the European conditions, the fuel can be certified as an RFNBO. Supply to a Dutch destination can then generate ERE-R: LRE-R for land, BRE-R for inland shipping or ZRE-R for maritime shipping.

Production requirements

The RFNBO rules place conditions on the electricity used. Under the usual route involving grid electricity and a power purchase agreement, these include additional renewable generation and correlation in time and location. Other routes and transitional rules exist; one fixed set of conditions does not fit every installation.

The European default for time correlation is monthly until the end of 2029 and hourly from 2030. Member States can introduce the hourly rule earlier under certain conditions. Specific exceptions also apply. The additionality requirements have transitional provisions for installations starting before 2028.

The fuel must achieve at least 70% lifecycle emissions saving. Production, processing and transport all count. For e-methanol, the origin of the CO₂ also matters. Captured CO₂ does not automatically make a product emission-free. Regulation 2023/1185 determines how that carbon can be treated in the calculation.

What the supplier must demonstrate

Liquid RFNBOs normally require an excise warehouse permit; certain importers and registered consignees can also book supplies. The supplier is certified for the final storage location and maintains its mass balance.

The NEa requires proof of renewability from a recognised certification chain. An electricity guarantee of origin does not replace this evidence. For a blend, sampling and analysis must also substantiate the share of the relevant fuel in the mixture.

The number of ERE-R units follows from the energy supplied and lifecycle emissions on the evidence. The actual supply must have taken place. An order or production forecast cannot be booked.

Limits of this route

Biomass-based methanol follows the biofuel rules. Hydrogen has a separate booking route. According to the NEa, gaseous RFNBOs other than hydrogen currently cannot be booked through that gaseous route.

Aviation has been outside the Dutch ERE system since 2026. E-kerosene supplied to aviation therefore does not generate EREs. RFNBOs used as intermediates in a refinery can generate RARE units under separate conditions. Check the product, production route and final destination before signing a contract that assumes ERE proceeds.