Webinar – REDII Sustainability Criteria: demonstrating compliance

Starting 1 July 2021, the Renewable Energy Directive must be transposed in national legislation and biomass and bioenergy producers need to demonstrate compliance with REDII sustainability requirements. Bioenergy Europe is hosting a public workshop, taking place on 21 October, 14:00 – 16:00 CEST, to provide practical guidance on the next steps of implementation. During the workshop speakers will offer a refresher on the sustainability requirements for solid biomass; present an overview of  the REDII implementation status across EU members states; summarise EU guidance documents and next steps and explain the practical steps to comply. Register now. More information coming soon!

Study on forest-related certification and wood-based products

In August, DG ENV presented a study that outlines how to provide a better overview of forest-related certification schemes and the differences between them. The main finding of the study is that that certification can provide significant support to operators in their efforts to meet EU Timber Regulation obligations for due diligence. Furthermore, certification can control and manage fraud and corruption in the sector. 

Climate, Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines (CEEAG)

Bioenergy Europe’s Secretariat submitted its response to the public consultation on the revised CEEAG. Moreover, Bioenergy Europe drafted with 4 other business associations (Ocean Energy, Estela, EGEC Geothermal, EUREC) a common list of amendments including a crucial reference to paragraph 107 which currently sets an arbitrary differentiation among renewable technologies. A joint letter addressed to Commissioners Simson, Gabriel and Vestager was also sent by the same associations. For more information, please contact Michal Dlugosz.

Sustainable Finance Taxonomy

The Sustainable Finance Taxonomy Platform has opened a public consultation to gather further evidence and feedback on the proposed draft recommendations for the technical screening criteria. The final report will be presented in November 2021 and will be used by the European Commission as a starting point to define its delegated acts. The current draft report is negatively biased towards the bioenergy sector. The secretariat will circulate a draft reply. For more information, please contact Giulia Cancian.

Energy Taxation Directive

Bioenergy Europe’s Secretariat drafted a position paper on the proposed revision of the Energy Taxation Directive which includes a list of proposed amendments. We kindly ask members to provide us with input by 10 September 2021. The position paper will serve as a contribution to the ongoing open consultation on the Comission’s adoption of the legislative proposal which is open until 27 October 2021. For more information, please contact Michal Dlugosz. 

Fit-for-55 Package

On 14 July the European Commission published a package of legislative proposal collectively called “Fit-for-55″, designed to help the EU meet its climate goals. In addition to a communication on the package, the package includes revisions to: the EU ETS (including changes to aviation and how it will interact with CORSIA), the Effort Sharing Regulation, the LULUCF Regulation, REDIII, EED, CO2 standards for cars and vans, alternative fuel infrastructure, REFuelEU Aviation, FuelEU Maritime, the ETD, and the creation of the CBAM. All of the documents are available on the EU’s website.

Renewable Energy Directive Review – Biomass Sustainability

The proposal includes important changes to the criteria including a lower exemption threshold (above 5MW); establishment of NO-GO areas with the extension of existing land criteria for agricultural biomass also to forest biomass (including primary, highly biodiverse forests and peatlands). Furthermore, new elements have been added to Article 29(6) to minimise the negative impact of harvesting on soil quality and biodiversity inspired by the JRC report on woody biomass for energy. Article 29(10) REDII is amended applying the existing greenhouse gas saving thresholds for electricity, heating and cooling production from biomass fuels retroactively to existing installations: 70% until end of 2025 and 80% from beginning of 2026 (not only new installations). The way biomass support is granted is also addressed by the proposal: Beginning in 2027, support will no longer be allowed for biomass-power only electricity generation unless the plant produces electricity with BIO-CSS or it is located in a region with a European Commission approved just transition plan. Specific feedstock categories are also excluded from support (saw logs, veneer logs, stumps and roots). Finally, the Commission proposes to draft a Delegated Act on how to apply the cascading principle for biomass. The Secretariat has drafted the REDIII Policy Brief to summarise the main changes. The public consultation is open until midnight (Brussels time) 10 September. Bioenergy Europe will submit a reply and encourages members to submit individual replies. For more information, please contact Giulia Cancian.

Renewable Energy Directive Review – Heating & Cooling

The text rightly promotes the switch from fossil fuel heating systems to RES and stresses the need for consistency with the EPBD. The shortage of RHC installers is recognised as a barrier to phasing out fossil fuel systems. Nevertheless, the renewable heat targets in Article 23 remain disproportionally low, setting a business-as-usual approach which will not be enough to achieve the new 49% renewables in buildings target set out in Article 15. For more information, please contact Irene di Padua.

Energy Taxation Directive

The European Commission released the legislative proposal for a revision of Energy Taxation Directive. As one of the main changes, the scope was extended on solid wood products within categories within CN codes 4401 and 4402 which include: fuel wood, briquettes, pellets etc. Moreover, it replaces also the general rule of taxation of energy products based on its volume by their energy content. The Secretariat has drafted the ETD Policy Brief which will guide you through the main building blocks of the revision. The public consultation is open until midnight (Brussels time) 10 September. Bioenergy Europe will submit a rely and encourages members to submit individual replies. For more information, please contact Michal Dlugosz