TÜV SÜD recognized as certification body for biofuels
TÜV SÜD recognized as certification body for biofuels
In future, all companies placing biofuels on the European market must meet the statutory sustainability standards. Germany is the first EU country to introduce a certification instrument for this purpose. TÜV SÜD has now received preliminary authorization as a Certification Body from the German Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, BLE), enabling the company to provide certification of the production conformity of liquid biofuels and other bioliquids with the Biomass Sustainability Ordinance.
The certification is based on the EU Directive 2009/28/EC on the Promotion of the Use of Energy from Renewable Sources, which sets forth sustainability requirements for biofuels and bioliquids. Fulfilment of the criteria specified in the Directive is essential if manufacturers wish to benefit from subsidies and have their fuels credited towards EU biofuel targets. "In our verification and certification procedures, we examine documentation at every stage of the production and sales processes", explains Igor Dormuth, biofuels certification project manager at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. "We appraise all key criteria involved, from examination of the area under cultivation and calculation of greenhouse gas emissions to the documentation of working and social standards." Verification is passed along the supply chain, right down to the operators of plants in accordance with the German Renewable Energies Act (EEG) and mineral oil suppliers. These companies are required to provide proof to power grid operators or their competent head customs offices that the liquid biomass used in their plants or companies originates from sustainable production methods.
Future changes anticipated
German legislation has already implemented the EU sustainability requirements in the Biomass Electricity Sustainability Ordinance (BioSt-NachV) and the Biofuel Sustainability Ordinance (Biokraft-NachV). However, in the past some confusion reigned over what system should be applied in certification and which bodies were authorized to issue the certificates. Only recently did the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) grant preliminary authorization to the "International Sustainability and Carbon Certification" (ISCC) certification system. As a partner of the ISCC project, TÜV SÜD had been involved since the pilot phase, gathering valuable practical experience of the new assessment system in cases including examination of a soy plantation in Argentina. "Our experts are thus well prepared for their duties as auditors", remarks Dr Sven Kolmetz, Head of the Carbon Management Service business area at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service.
The preliminary nature of the BLE's award of authorizations is due to the urgent need for rapid action. On the one hand, international biofuel certification is a new area, while on the other, the requirements of the EU directive must be implemented as soon as possible. Since some important details still await clarification, further amendments to the EU directive are anticipated from the EU Commission in the near future. The pioneering ISCC system must prove in years to come that it is able to respond flexibly to new requirements and can uphold sustainability.
Attendance of World Biofuels Markets (WBM): TÜV SÜD is a Silver Sponsor of the World Biofuels Markets (WBM) in Amsterdam (15 –17 March 2010), where it will present its biofuels certification in addition to further services such as biomethane certification.
Further information on TÜV SÜD can be found at www.tuev-sued.de/is
Contact: Dr. Thomas Oberst
