The European Commission (EC) has announced the first schemes approved to ensure that biofuels used within the EU are produced in a sustainable manner.
According to the Commission, biofuels have the potential to be environmentally-friendly replacement to fossil fuels, as long as there are checks and guarantees in place to ensure that they deliver greenhouse gas emission savings and do not result in the destruction of natural habitats.
Now seven new voluntary certification schemes have been approved to certify biofuels according to the ‘sustainability criteria’ set out in the Renewable Energy Directive. Biofuel used within Europe will need to be checked by member states or through such voluntary schemes recognised by the Commission before they can be used within the EU. The seven schemes include; ISCC (a German government financed scheme covering all types of biofuels) , Bonsucro EU (a roundtable initiative for sugarcane based biofuels, focus on Brazil), RTRS EU RED (a roundtable initiative for soy based biofuels, focus on Argentina and Brazil), RSB EU RED (a roundtable initiative covering all types of biofuels), 2BSvs (French industry scheme covering all types of biofuels), RSBA (Industry scheme for Abengoa covering their supply chain), and Greenergy (Industry scheme for Greenergy covering sugar cane ethanol from Brazil).
Commissioner for Energy within the EC, Günther Oettinger said: "We need to make sure that the entire biofuels’ production and supply chain is sustainable. This is why we have set the highest sustainability standards in the world.
“The schemes recognised on the EU level today are a good example of a transparent and reliable system which ensures that these high standards are met."
The EU has set a target to achieve a minimum share of 10 per cent of all transport fuels from renewable sources by 2020. Much of this is expected to be met through the use of biofuels, which are already in widespread use, mixed into existing petrol and diesel supplies.
To meet EU sustainability criteria, biofuels must offer at least 35 per cent lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil fuels, with this threshold set to increase over time.
However environmental groups remain concerned about the methods which will be used to assess the GHG emissions from biofuels. ClientEarth, which is already suing the Commission for its lack of transparency on biofuels, says the new schemes have been approved without public scrutiny.
