As the European Commission (EC) reviews Annex IX of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which covers sustainability criteria for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels, the European Waste-based & Advanced Biofuels Association (EWABA) has called for strict sustainability certification for cover crops as feedstock.
The review of Annex IX of the RED involves the refining of feedstock categorisations, the enhancement of sustainability criteria and the adjustment of rules based on scientific developments and practical experience.
One key area of focus has been the role of certain feedstocks deemed higher risk in terms of sustainability and indirect land use change (ILUC). The review of Annex IX is expected to be completed this year.
Although welcoming the 2024 revision of Annex IX as feedstock expansion was a major necessity for the EU biofuel industry and would reduce pressure on other feedstocks to produce waste-based biofuels, the association called for strict sustainability certification for cover crops as feedstock.
“To enable wide deployment of these feedstocks while ensuring they meet the highest sustainability certification requirements, it is critical to set a sound and solid conditionality for intermediate and cover crops,” EWABA said in a statement in January.
To ensure proper and adequate certification of intermediate crops and cover crops, the association has called on the EC to implement a range of measures, including the creation of a map of all global agricultural areas that allow more than one main crop harvest/year.
It also called for the setting of unified certification rules to prevent different certification procedures or different interpretations of the rules which could lead to fraudulent activity.
In addition, the association called for the introduction of an adequate penalty system.
Brussels-based EWABA represents the interests of the European waste-based and advanced biofuels industry.
