RTFO renewable fuels
Updated 14 June 2023
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/renewable-transport-fuel-obligation-rtfo-renewable-fuels/rtfo-renewable-fuels
This list of renewable fuels and their renewability is used in conjunction with the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) guidance, which details how this list is made and how it will be updated.
The list may be updated during the course of the obligation period. Any changes will be communicated to suppliers.
Fuels mentioned will only be included in ROS, the RTFO operating system, as and when a supplier wishes to supply them.
If a fuel supplier wishes to supply a renewable fuel that does not meet the description of a fuel described below, they should contact the RTFO administrator.
Renewable fuels
| Fuel | Percentage renewable (by volume) | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avtur (renewable) | 100% | Aviation turbine fuel (avtur) is high specification kerosene used in jet and turboprop aircraft. Any fuel reported as Avtur (renewable) should be produced wholly from renewable sources and meet the ASTM (or equivalent) requirements for aviation fuel. | |
| Biobutane | 100% | Butane produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Biobutanol | 100% | Butanol produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Biodiesel ME (methyl-ester) | 100%[footnote 1] (see Section 5(4B)(c) of the RTFO Order) | Biodiesel produced from the transesterification of vegetable oils with methanol either: ( 1) wholly from biomass or (2) from fossil sources. When used in non-road applications, Biodiesel ME is reported as “Off-road Biodiesel”. | |
| Bioethanol | 100% | Ethanol produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Bio-ETBE (ethyl tertiary-butyl ether) | 47% (Section 5(4B)(a) of the RTFO Order) | ETBE produced from ethanol wholly from biological sources and isobutylene (2-methyl-propene). | |
| Biomethane (compressed) | 100% | Compressed methane produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Biomethane (liquified) | 100% | Liquified methane produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Bio-MTBE (methyl tertiary-butyl ether) | 36% (Section 5(4B)(b) of the RTFO Order) | MTBE produced from methanol wholly from biological sources and isobutylene (2-methyl-propene). | |
| Biopetrol | 100% | Produced wholly from biomass. Fuel reported as Biopetrol should be chemically comparable to fossil petrol such that it can be blended with fossil petrol to a level of at least 25% while still meeting BS EN: 228. | |
| Biopropane | 100% | Propane produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Development diesel | 100% | Produced wholly from renewable sources and of a development fuel type. Fuel reported as Development diesel should be chemically comparable to fossil diesel such that it can be blended with fossil diesel to a level of at least 25% while still meeting BS EN: 590. | |
| Development petrol | 100% | Produced wholly from renewable sources and of a development fuel type. Fuel reported as Development petrol should be chemically comparable to fossil petrol such that it can be blended with fossil petrol to a level of at least 25% while still meeting BS EN: 228. | |
| Diesel (origin bio) | 100% | Produced wholly from biomass. Fuel reported as Diesel (origin bio) should be chemically comparable to fossil diesel such that it can be blended with fossil diesel to a level of at least 25% while still meeting BS EN: 590. | |
| Hydrogen | 100% | Hydrogen produced either: wholly from biomass or from non-biomass renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, hydro or geothermal. | |
| Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) | 100%[footnote 2] | HVO (renewable diesel) produced from vegetable oils using hydrogen either wholly from fossil sources or from biomass. | |
| Methanol (bio) | 100% | Methanol produced wholly from biomass. | |
| Methanol (non-bio, renewable) | 100% | Methanol is a renewable fuel of non-biological origin, where the energy in the fuel is derived from renewable sources. | |
| Pure bio oil | 100% | Pure oils derived wholly from biomass (of either plant or animal origin) that do not require further processing before being used in transport | |
| Substitute natural gas (SNG) | 100% | Renewable methane produced wholly from biomass, through a process of pyrolysis or gasification. |
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The RTFO order does not regard fossil methanol used in FAME production as renewable. However, it does deem the whole of the volume of FAME produced on this basis to be eligible for Renewable Transport Fuels Certificates (RTFCs). ↩
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The RTFO order does not regard fossil methane used in HVO production as renewable. However, it does deem the whole of the volume of HVO produced on this basis to be eligible for RTFCs. ↩