Old plant regulation expires – Certification systems and certification body before the practical test

Berlin, 8th March 2013 – An important criterion for the market access of biofuels is evidence of greenhouse gas reduction by at least 35 percent as opposed to fossil fuel. The Union zur Förderung von Oel- und Proteinpflanzen e.V. (UFOP) points out that, contrary to biodiesel made from rapeseed, biodiesel made from soya and palm oil does not fullfill this greenhouse gas reduction requirement according to the standard values of the Renewable Energy Directive.

For old plants that were also in operation outside the European Union up to January 2008, the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EG) sets out the regulation that proof of the greenhouse gas reduction of the biofuels produced in these plants of at least 35 percent is not a requirement for counting towards quota obligation.. This temporary regulation expires on 31.3.2013 and concerns a large amount of biodiesel plants. This means that soon, especially plants which process soya and palm oil for biodiesel must produce a certified evidence of greenhouse gas reduction of, for example, the processing stage from 1st April 2013 onwards. Only then can these biofuels be registered in the database of the Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food - BLE) "Nabisy".

The UFOP particularly points out that not all of the EU approved certification systems provide a method for calculating the greenhouse gas balance. The French voluntary certification system "2BSvs" does not meet this requirement.

The UFOP assumes that the Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, BLE, will check the corresponding sources and data.