Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development

Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development

Sustainability regulation for solid biomass for energy in NL, BE & UK

Dr. Martin Junginger

Copernicus Institute, Utrecht University Conference on Biomass and Sustainability

19 October 2015, Copenhagen, Denmark

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Short history of sust. criteria for solid biomass

2010 EU recommendations to MS to follow more or less the biofuels criteria:

• GHG accounting to include end-use conversion, small bioenergy installations (below 1 MW) to be exempted & biomass origin and quality in small-scale uses (e.g. households) to be monitored by MS

• Ongoing review of the effectiveness of such approach, considering new market and policy developments

=> End of 2013: no SC on EU level before 2020

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Overview of national policies

Four countries in EU with (development of) governance

frameworks for solid biomass

1. Belgium (Flanders/ Walloon regions): Binding legislation

since 2002

2. United Kingdom: legislation in place since 2013, closely

following EC recommendations

3. Netherlands: Sustainability criteria to be developed,

including carbon debt and iLUC, for co-firing of solid

biomass in National energy agreement (sept 2013).

4. Denmark: industry agreement (covered by next speaker)

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Overview of National Schemes

Country Schemes & Aims

Belgium Green Certificates

- Support renewable energy & optimise GHG emissions

Denmark Industry Agreement

- Ensure sustainable use of solid biomass

The Netherlands Energy Accord, Contracts for Difference (SDE+)

– Support production of sustainable energy from biomass

The United Kingdom Renewables Obligation, Renewable Heat Incentive, Contracts for

Difference

- Deliver real GHG savings, assure solid biomass is sustainably produced &

cost effective

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UK

Sustainability Criteria

Details

1. Fuel Classification Clarify what exemptions available for reporting against the

sustainability criteria

2. Land Use

2.1 Timber Standard - In accordance with EU Timber Regulation

- Sustainable harvesting rates, biodiversity protection & land use rights

for indigenous people

2.2 Land Use - Derived from RED

- Land category: to clarify compliance

3. GHG emissions - A minimum of 60% GHG emission saving (2017) compared with

1990 level, to increase to 75% saving by 2025

- GHG calculations: follow methodology defined in Annex V of RED

(emissions from collection process to processing, transportation

and distribution stages)

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UK

Reporting requirements Details – for generators over 50 KW

Monthly reporting Report against land use/ timber standard criteria and GHG

criteria

Annual reporting Provide sustainability audit report (TIC ≥ 1 MW)

Recognition of voluntary schemes

Land criteria

(land use/ timber standard)

- Category A evidence: FSC and PEFC

- Category B evidence: through collection of bespoke

evidence

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Belgium

Sustainability Criteria

Details

1. Fuel Classification - wood, waste wood and wood pellets: sustainably sourced; no

commercial value

2. Land Use Not included

3. GHG emissions Differ between regions (Wallonia & Brussels-capital region, Flanders)

Wallonia & Brussels - GHG reduction regarding biomass fed for electricity production

Flanders - GHG reduction regarding efficiency of green energy production

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Belgium

Reporting requirements Details

Quarterly reporting - Wallonia Report electricity production to receive GCs grant

Annual reporting – Flanders Submit specific number of GCs to Vreg to prove compliance

with certificate obligation

Recognition of voluntary schemes

Land criteria

(land use/ timber standard)

- Recognition of FSC, PEFC certification schemes

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Danish Industry Agreement

Sustainability Criteria

Details

1. Fuel Classification - Not defined

2. Land Use Only timber standard included

Legality; biodiversity/ecosystems protection; maintenance of forests’

productivity; forest health & functioning; labour rights

3. GHG emissions Reduction percentage follows EU guidelines & UK on GHG emissions

reductions

- GHG reduction: 70% (2015) and 75% (2025)

- GHG emissions calculation: to be decided

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Danish Industry Agreement

Reporting requirements Details

Annual reporting - For generators ≥ 20 MW

Recognition of voluntary schemes

Land criteria

(land use/ timber standard)

- Recognition of FSC, PEFC certification schemes

Land Criteria & GHG emissions - SBP

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Source: Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, RWE Essent

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Source: Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, RWE Essent

Start year project

# years of pellet mill certification

Forest certification required starting in …

Required for nr of years

2015/16 6 2021/22 2 2017/18 5 2022/23 3 2019 4 2023 4 2020 3 2023 5 >2020 0 2021 8

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Source: Peter-Paul Schouwenberg, RWE Essent

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Dutch Energy Agreement

Sustainability Criteria

Details

1. Fuel Classification - Defined for biomass both originating from agriculture and forests

2. Land Use - Forest biomass: legislation & regulations; ecological, economic &

management aspects; CoC

- Agricultural & waste residues: mainly about compliance with

legislation & CoC

3. GHG emissions - Requirements for GHG emissions reductions; conservation of carbon

stocks; ILUC

- Average> 70% savings, each batch >60% savings

- GHG emissions calculation: EU methodology + default values

- Carbon debt:

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Dutch Energy Agreement

Reporting requirements Not yet published

Recognition of voluntary schemes – not yet published

New verification protocol will provide more guidance on methods and indicators to demonstrate compliance with the principles and indicators.

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Overview

National Support Schemes for Solid Biomass

RO, RHI, CfDs - UK GCs - BE IA - DK EA - NL

I. Strictness of certification Mandatory Mandatory Voluntary Mandatory

II. Timeline of implementation End of 2015 Already

implemented

2016 In 2 years

time?

III. Sustainability Criteria Coverage

A. Greenhouse Gas Emission

B. Land Criteria:

- Fuel classification ±

- Timber Standard

- Sustainable Forest Management ±

- Land use

- Biodiversity protection

- Ecosystems conservation ±

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Overview

National Support Schemes for Solid Biomass (continued)

RO, RHI, CfDs -

UK

GCs - BE IA - DK EA - NL

III. Sustainability Criteria Coverage

- Carbon debt →

C. Cascading biomass →

D. Compliance with other related laws &

local rights

±

E. Chain of Custody →

F. Mass balance →

V. Recognition of other voluntary and

obligatory international schemes

→

Legend

Covered

± Partly covered

→ To be covered in the future

Not covered

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GHG emission calculations

RO, RHI, CfDs - UK GCs - BE IA - DK EA - NL

Calculation Follow BioGrace II tool &

based on EU SWD 2014*

Own method Follow BioGrace II

tool & UK approach

To be identified –

based on EU SWD

2014

Limit (compared with 1990

baseline level)

60% (2017) –

75% (2025)

No limit (?) 70 % (2015) –

75 % (2025)

70% / 60% for indiv.

batches

Time of Implementation End of 2015 Already implemented 2016 To be identified

Possible harmonisation? - Calculation method and emissions limits in Danish, Dutch and the UK schemes

are comparatively aligned: Follow BioGrace II tool & based on EU SWD 2014

- Implementation timeline needs to be further identified in Danish IA and Dutch EA

- Belgian approach of calculation is different

Harmonisation might be possible if format & type of GHG emissions data

collection are similar. Emissions limit could differ per country (-> leakage

possible)

* Report - State of play on the sustainability of solid and gaseous biomass used for

electricity, heating and cooling in the EU

Harmonisation possible?

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Harmonisation possible?

• SFM certification: strongly depending on eligibility of existing schemes in the different countries. “FSC or equivalent” main issue in the Dutch negotiations for the past 2 years; full forest certification after 2023 challenging

• Carbon Debt: Dutch approach first attempt to tackle the issue, EU & UK developments to be awaited

• Competition between use for materials and energy: different Belgian and Dutch approach

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Discussion points

• Current developments will likely hinder international wood pellet trade; industry-developed SBP system will need to evolve

• Leakage possible: imports from US & Canada are increasingly also used for small—scale residential use (e.g. Italy)

• Same in the sourcing areas themselves (e.g. use of legal but ‘unsustainable’ biomass in the US, sustainable biomass export to EU)

• => move for moderate but universal/global criteria for all end-uses

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Thank you for your attention!

More information?

Dr. Martin Junginger, h.m.junginger@uu.nl

Thuy Mai-Moulin, t.p.t.mai-moulin@uu.nl