Todd Anderson, Chief Technology Officer, PHINIA, Auburn Hills, Michigan (U.S.)
The road to sustainable mobility is not straight, and it is not powered by a single energy source or solution. The mounting pressure to decarbonize global transportation means the conversation needs to broaden beyond electric vehicles and emerging technologies. It is important for the dialogue to shift its focus toward immediate, scalable fuel systems and solutions.
As the transport sector shifts toward low-carbon solutions, demand for liquid biofuels rose by 0.2 exajoules (EJ) in 2024 vs. the previous year.1 Ethanol and methanol are among the leading options, offering practical and increasingly advanced means to reduce emissions across both on- and off-road applications.
Unlike many emerging alternatives, biofuels integrate seamlessly with existing transport infrastructure. Supported by decades of engineering innovation—such as modern fuel injectors, adaptive combustion systems and corrosion-resistant materials—they enable current engines to operate on renewable energy. This makes biofuels a viable and immediate contributor to sustainable mobility.
A versatile pathway to lower-carbon transport. Biofuels offer a balance of compatibility and sustainability. Produced from renewable feedstocks such as agricultural residues, forestry byproducts, or even captured carbon and green hydrogen, they can supplement fossil fuels in both light- and heavy-duty transport. In emerging economies and countries where full electrification is not yet feasible, such as India and Brazil, biofuels have been recognized as the leading solution for decarbonizing transport.2
Ethanol and methanol represent two of the most mature and promising options. In 2024, global liquid biofuel production increased by 8% year-over-year, with bioethanol taking the lead as the most commonly used liquid biofuel.3 Ethanol has long demonstrated its viability as a renewable component in gasoline, while methanol’s adaptability and energy density make it increasingly attractive for heavy-duty vehicles, marine transport and industrial applications. Both fuels deliver meaningful lifecycle carbon reductions without demanding radical changes to the way vehicles are fueled, serviced or driven.
In markets such as Brazil and the U.S., ethanol has already demonstrated its scalability, with Brazil stepping forward as one of the world’s leading producers of ethanol.4 In others, methanol is emerging as a key component in future fuel strategies, not only as a combustion fuel, but also as a potential base for synthetic production pathways. Together, these fuels form a practical bridge toward a lower-carbon transport landscape, especially in regions where electrification remains limited by cost, infrastructure or operational challenges.
Beyond the fuel. Realizing the full potential of biofuels relies on fuel systems, as well as fuel type. Advances in fuel delivery, injection and combustion management are optimizing how engines run on biofuels. This growth allows better performance, greater efficiency and lower emissions. Importantly, these technologies can also be applied to existing vehicles, enabling immediate progress.
The true enabler of biofuel adoption lies in modern fuel system innovations. It is in the design of injection components, combustion chambers and engine control strategies that optimize biofuel performance. These advances support ethanol and methanol engines in achieving high efficiency and power while minimizing unburned emissions and ensuring durability.
Further, fuel system suppliers and engine manufacturers are rethinking how materials interact with alcohol-based fuels, developing corrosion-resistant alloys, coatings and seals. This helps them maintain reliability throughout the full fuel lifecycle. Precision injectors and adaptive combustion controls are also being engineered to handle varying biofuel blends without compromising drivability or performance.
Ethanol as a scalable solution. Ethanol’s success lies in its ability to integrate seamlessly into existing transport systems. When blended with gasoline, it delivers immediate carbon reductions while maintaining engine performance and reliability. Flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), which can operate on blends of up to 85% ethanol, have been deployed at scale for decades.
What’s changing today is the nature of ethanol itself. Second-generation ethanol, produced from non-food biomass, is rapidly enhancing the sustainability profile of ethanol production. By using agricultural residues or waste streams, modern ethanol production achieves significant lifecycle carbon dioxide (CO2) reductions, often as much as 80% compared with fossil fuels. In the European Union (EU), renewable ethanol was found to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 79% in 2024, compared to fossil fuels.5
The chemistry of ethanol lends itself to cleaner combustion. Thanks to its high oxygen content, ethanol opens the door for more complete fuel burn, reducing particulate and carbon monoxide emissions. Advancements in fuel injection and adaptive combustion management help ethanol engines achieve higher compression ratios and thermal efficiencies than ever before. This bridges the gap between performance and sustainability.
Methanol is also gaining momentum as a fuel alternative for both road and marine transport. A simple chemical structure, high octane rating and ability to be produced from various renewable sources make it a versatile fuel pathway.
Renewable methanol can be synthesized from captured CO2 and green hydrogen, effectively recycling carbon emissions into a usable, high-performance energy source. Its versatility suits applications where electrification faces technical or operational barriers, such as long-haul trucking, construction machinery and shipping.
In the automotive industry, methanol-powered engines are evolving rapidly. New compression-ignition and spark-ignition designs, paired with optimized fuel injection systems, demonstrate impressive efficiency and emissions performance. Meanwhile, methanol’s role as a hydrogen carrier, easily reformed for use in fuel cells, adds another layer of strategic relevance in the broader energy transition.
Technology and infrastructure. While the promise of biofuels is clear, their widespread adoption hinges on parallel progress in infrastructure and system integration. The transport ecosystem, from refineries to fueling stations, was built around fossil hydrocarbons. To fully unlock biofuels’ potential, it is crucial that supporting infrastructure evolve, as well.
Luckily, infrastructure evolution is already underway. Many countries, including Brazil and the U.S., are expanding blend mandates, upgrading pipelines and storage facilities, and investing in flexible fuel distribution networks. Modern fuel dispensers and storage systems are increasingly capable of safely and efficiently handling higher concentrations of ethanol or methanol.
Simultaneously, engine manufacturers are designing flexible systems capable of operating across a spectrum of renewable fuel blends. This flexibility is key. It enables fleets and consumers to gradually adopt biofuels, adjusting to regional availability and policy frameworks without disruptive changes.
Compared to the decades-long process of building entirely new energy networks, optimizing existing fuel infrastructure for biofuels is one of the fastest and most cost-effective routes to achieving meaningful emissions reduction.
Immediate impact, long-term value. The energy transition is not just about what comes next—it is about action being taken now. Millions of vehicles already on the road can run cleaner as soon as tomorrow through the adoption of increased biofuel blends, advanced engine calibrations and modest infrastructure upgrades.
Biofuels are already reducing dependence on fossil imports globally, supporting rural economies and improving air quality. As countries continue to pursue balanced and resilient energy strategies, biofuels provide environmental and economic value, decarbonizing transportation while ensuring energy security and affordability.
This is not just a short-term fix. Through ongoing advances in production methods, feedstock diversity and engine technologies, biofuels are becoming a cornerstone of sustainable mobility.
Sustainability in transport is not a binary choice between one technology and another. It requires a system-wide transformation, where renewable liquids, electrification, hydrogen and efficiency improvements all support each other in interdependent roles.
Biofuels hold a uniquely pragmatic role in the energy mix. They complement emerging energy systems while enabling existing ones to operate more cleanly. By advancing the technologies delivering, injecting and burning these fuels efficiently, the automotive industry can keep innovating with internal combustion engines. This paves the way for real progress toward net-zero without having to wait for a fully electric future.
Now, the priority should be to broaden the range of cleaner, more fuel-efficient options available. Biofuels are crucial in this effort. Integrating them into current and future vehicle platforms is essential to accelerating significant improvements across the transport sector.
The future of mobility will be defined by choice, adaptability and innovation. Ethanol, methanol and other advanced biofuels are not peripheral solutions, they are central to building a sustainable, resilient and technologically advanced transport ecosystem. By pushing forward the science of fuel systems and the infrastructure that supports them, we can transform today’s engines into tomorrow’s low-carbon reality. HP
LITERATURE CITED
International Energy Agency (IEA), Oil: Global energy review 2025, 2025, online: https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2025/oil?utm_
IEA, Renewables 2023, 2023, online: https://www.iea.org/reports/renewables-2023/transport-biofuels
Energy Institute, Statistical Review of World Energy 2025, 2025, online: https://www.energyinst.org/statistical-review
Krueger, E., “Brazil produces record 9.73 billion gallons of ethanol in 2024,” February 6 2025, Ethanol Producer, online: https://ethanolproducer.com/articles/brazil-produces-record-973-billion-gallons-of-ethanol-in-2024
Biofuels International, “EU renewable ethanol reduced GHG emissions by 79% compared to fossil fuel in 2024, new report,” June 17, 2025, online: https://biofuels-news.com/news/eu-renewable-ethanol-reduced-ghg-emissions-by-79-compared-to-fossil-fuel-in-2024-new-report/?utm_
As Chief Technology Officer of PHINIA, Todd Anderson leads the product engineering function within the organisation, representing PHINIA technologies to the marketplace and investors. He joined PHINIA in 2023 from BorgWarner, where he served as Vice President and General Manager for fuel injection systems in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With a fascination for how things work and extensive experience in Tier One commercial vehicle and automotive operations, engineering and management, Anderson is passionate about solving complex problems and driving innovation.