The ACFA Publication

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to draw our readers’ attention to the latest developments in Australia's efforts to address fuel efficiency standards and embrace cleaner transportation. In April 2023, the Department for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, and the Arts (DITRDCA) launched its first-ever strategy programme on fuel efficiency standards, inviting input and feedback from the public and international community.

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In this short version of our In Focus newsletter, we would like to bring our readers' attention to the latest developments surrounding the EU climate strategy and its attempt to accelerate the decarbonisation of the fuel market.  The European Union faced a setback in early March when Germany unexpectedly opposed a previously agreed plan to phase out carbon-emitting cars by 2035, leading to tensions among member states.

In this issue of In Focus, we look at the key features affecting the clean fuels industry this year. This, taking into consideration current events, such as the Russian war in Ukraine which has dragged into a second year. Then, there is the inflationary and recessionary threats over the global energy markets which was recently rekindled by the banking crisis in the USA and Europe.

China's auto industry, the 2nd most important pillar for the country's economic development after the real estate sector, has achieved exceptional growth results over the past two decades. According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) statistical yearbook, total automobile production and vehicle sales in China have increased tenfold. The number of vehicles sold in 2001 was 2.37 million units, which more than doubled to 5.76 million by 2005 and reached 18.06 million in 2010. 24.6 million units were sold in 2015, rising to 26.27 million in 2021 as the country recovered from its 2020 COVID-19 slowdown. According to data from the traffic administration department of the Ministry of Public Security, the number of motor vehicles in China in 2021 was 395 million, of which 300 million were cars.

In October 2020 a study about “The harm of gasoline blended with Methylal” was published by China’s Chemicalbook Inc., which is regarded as on the country’s most-visited and largest professional platforms on chemical services. The findings of the report were exposed in CCTV's 3.15 party TV show. In response to the "Methylal Blended Gasoline" documentary exposed by the 3.15 party, "China Consumer News Auto Weekly" conducted and published their investigations about "Methylal Blended Gasoline" through a series of investigations and interviews.

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This issue of In Focus reflects on the 2021 World Air Quality Report conducted by IQAir in March 2022. The survey, which reports on PM2.5 air quality results, is based on measurements and data collected in over 6400 cities in almost 120 countries worldwide.

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In this issue of In Focus, we look at the potential impact of the recent oil and energy price rally on gasoline demand and our industry. Governments around the world are considering various measures to combat the looming energy crisis, mainly caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to focus on the “Cleaner Fuels for a More Sustainable Future” study published by the Indonesian Institute of Energy Economics (IIEE) in 2021. The study forms part of a larger research study titled “Strategy to Fulfil Fuel Supply in Indonesia to Comply with Euro 4 Vehicle Standards” conducted by the IIEE last year, which identified three major issues as reasons for the delay in the rollout of the plan and made some recommendations on how to tackle the issues. The Asian Clean Fuels Association contributed to the study.

In this ‘In Focus’ newsletter we would like to draw our readers’ attention to a joined opinion statement issued by Clean Air Asia (CAA) and the Asian Clean Fuels Association (ACFA), in which both organizations highlight their observations and express their concerns related the use of coal to fuel Asia’s energy demand.