Better Biomass

demonstrating sustainability of biomass in bio-based products

Workshop agenda

• Overview Better Biomass certification system

• Better Biomass sustainability criteria

• Eneco Bio Golden Raand: Sustainable electricity from residue wood

• Questions

Overview Better Biomass certification system

• Background and general structure of the Better Biomass certification system

• What are the sustainability criteria?

• How to get certified?

• How can policy makers, procurers and regulators use the system?

• What is the link with European (CEN) and global (ISO) sustainability standards?

Background and general structure of the Better Biomass certification system

Booming Biomass

• Biomass is global business

• Large opportunities for new activities in the field of biomass

• Must not be at the expense of other important values for nature, environment and society

• European biomass demand will exceed domestic production

Better Biomass certification system

• For solid, liquid and gaseous biomass chains

• Electricity, heating, transport fuel and bio-based products

• Operational since early 2011

• Accreditation by RvA (EA, IAF member)

• European recognition for RED: 31 July 2012

• Harmonized with international standards (CEN & ISO)

What are the sustainability criteria?

• Very inclusive definition of sustainability

• Criteria covering People, Planet & Profit

• Broad stakeholder support (industry, academics, policy and NGO’s)

• Revision just finalized

Scope of certification

How to get certified?

1. Preparation

a) Membership

2. Initial audit

a) phase 1: research and preparation

b) phase 2: on-site audit and feedback

3. Granting of certificate

4. Maintaining certificate

a) Surveillance audit (annual)

b) Re-certification (within 5 years)

How can policy makers, procurers and regulators use the system?

Standardization

• A standard is a voluntary agreement amongst market parties

• All parties concerned

• Agreements based on consensus

• Open & transparent process

• Purposes

– Facilitating trade & interoperability

– Self-regulation

– Health, safety, environment

– Image

Many relevant characteristics for bio-based products, including:

– LCA

– Toxicity

– Sustainability of the biomass used

– Bio-based content

– Biodegradability

– Marine biodegradability

– … and many more

Characteristics of Bio-based products

Standards and certification

Application Certification Sustainability

criteria

NTA 8080-1 NTA 8080-2

NTA 8081

Certifying bodies

Companies

Law and regulation

Policy framework

Golden triangle

Examples

• Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC)

• Dutch Energy agreement

• Standardization mandate

– M/492 Bio-based products

What is the link with European (CEN) and global (ISO) sustainability standards?

NTA 8080

ISO 13065 ISO/PC 248

EN 16751 CEN/TC 411

EN 16214 CEN/TC 383

NEN-EN 16214

NEN-EN 16751*

* National adoption after publication of EN 16751

Mandatory national adoption

Input in standard

Standardization activities

Overview of applicability

Biofuels & bioliquids

Solid & gaseous biomass

Bio-based products

ISO 13065 EN 16751

NTA 8080 | Better Biomass

EN 16214*

Level of detail

PCIs

Minimum requirements

Verifiers

* Only RED sustainability aspects

ISO and CEN standards committees

• ISO/PC 248 “Sustainability criteria for bioenergy

• CEN/TC 383 “Sustainably produced biomass for energy applications”

• CEN/TC 411 “Bio-based products”

ISO/PC 248 - Scope

• Standardization in the field of sustainability criteria for production, supply chain and application of bioenergy. This includes terminology and aspects related to the sustainability (e.g. environmental, social and economic) of bioenergy.

ISO/PC 248 - Membership

Blue: Participating members (34 countries) Orange: Observing members (13 countries)

ISO/PC 248 - Standards

• ISO 13065:2015, Sustainability criteria for bioenergy

CEN/TC 383 - Scope

• Sustainability principles, criteria and indicators including their verification and auditing schemes, for as a minimum, but not restricted to, biomass for energy applications. This includes greenhouse gas emission and fossil fuel balances, biodiversity, environmental, economic and social aspects and indirect effects within each of the aspects

CEN/TC 383 - Focus

• Develop standards that allows users to check for the sustainability requirements as laid down by Directive 2009/28/EC (Renewable Energy Directive)

CEN/TC 383 - Standards

• EN 16214, Sustainability criteria for the production of biofuels and bioliquids for energy applications - Principles, criteria, indicators and verifiers – Part 1 (2012): Terminology

– Part 2 (2014): Conformity assessment including chain of custody and mass balance [TS]

– Part 3 (2012): Biodiversity and environmental aspects related to nature protection purposes

– Part 4 (2013): Calculation methods of the GHG emission balance using a LCA approach

CEN/TC 411 - Scope

• Development of standards for bio-based products covering horizontal aspects. This includes consistent terminology, sampling, certification tools, bio-based content, application of and correlation towards life cycle analysis, sustainability criteria for biomass used and for final products, and aspects where further harmonization is needed on horizontal level

CEN/TC 411 - Mandate

• Standardization request from the European Commission (M/492)

CEN/TC 411 - Standards

• FprEN 16751, Bio-based products - Sustainability criteria [currently under formal vote]

ISO 13065 has been used as starting point

Better Biomass sustainability criteria

Themes

• Greenhouse gas emissions

• Competition with local applications

• Biodiversity

• The environment

• Prosperity

• Wellbeing

What’s new or improved?

• New developments taken into account:

– Carbon debt

– Cascading of biomass

– ILUC

• Improvements in criteria setting

– Biodiversity

– Socio-economic criteria

– Continual improvement

Greenhouse gas emissions

• GHG emission savings

• Land use change

– Wetlands

– Continuously forested areas and other forests

– Peatland

• Excluding use that creates carbon debt

Competition with local applications

• Local prices

• Efficient use of raw materials (biomass cascading)

• ‘ILUC low risk’ [optional]

Biodiversity

• Land use change

– Primary forest and other wooded land

– Nature protection areas

– Highly biodiverse grassland

• Creating set-aside areas

• Restoring, preserving and strengthening biodiversity

The environment

• Soil quality

• Ground and surface water quality

• Water sources and use

• Air quality

• Waste management

Prosperity

• Contributing to local economy

• Recruiting amongst local population

• Contracting local suppliers

Wellbeing

• Labour rights

• Working conditions

• Responsible contact with (local) stakeholders

• Land-use rights

• Contributing to wellbeing local population

• Integrity of company

ENECO Bio Golden Raand

Sustainable electricity from residue wood

Eneco Bio Golden Raand

• Sustainable electricity from residue wood

• Challenges and experiences

• Generating supply of sustainable biomass

www.betterbiomass.com