Brussels, 25/07/2011 (Agence Europe) - Eco-innovation could soon become both an incentive and a bonus for reducing CO2 emissions from new cars, under the terms of a draft regulation adopted by the European Commission on 25 July to encourage the automotive industry to invest in new clean, innovative technologies and to build them into the design of their products.
The draft regulation would see car manufacturers receive CO2 emission credits if they fit their new cars with approved “eco-innovations” which reduce emissions. The commission believes that the credits will help the industry meet the European target of limiting CO2 emissions from new cars to an average of 130g/km by 2015 as set by legislation for the European fleet of newly registered cars. Estimates suggest that eco-innovation could count for up to 7g of CO2 /km towards the emissions reduction target.
In the Commission's view, technology can qualify as an eco-innovation if it meets specific criteria: it must be new to the market, contribute to significant CO2 savings and be not otherwise taken into account in determining the level of CO2 emissions from vehicles. It should also help improve vehicle propulsion or the energy consumption of compulsorily fitted devices. Solar panels converting sunlight into electric energy, for instance, could qualify as an eco-innovation, says the Commission in a press release, by way of an example.
Under the terms of the proposal, it will be for the Commission to assess applications submitted by car manufacturers and component suppliers and establish a list of approved generic eco-innovations. The actual CO2 savings from the eco-innovations for each specific car will be certified as part of the vehicle type approval procedure. (A.N./transl.rt)