Pelleting 2030

Renewable Energy Directive – Recast to 2030 (RED II)

In November 2016, the European Commission published its ‘Clean Energy for all Europeans’ initiative. The Commission adopted a legislative proposals for a recast of the Renewable Energy Directive. In the context of the co-decision procedure, a final compromise text among the EU institutions was agreed in June 2018.

The publishing of the RED II Directive is imminent.
 

Overall target

In RED II, the overall EU target for Renewable Energy Sources consumption by 2030 has been raised to 32%. The Commission’s original proposal did not include a transport sub-target, which has been introduced by co-legislators in the final agreement: Member States must require fuel suppliers to supply a minimum of 14% of the energy consumed in road and rail transport by 2030 as renewable energy.

Each Member States will define the detailed trajectory to reach these targets in the Integrated National Energy and Climate Plans. These plans will be designed by each Member State based on the guidelines set out in the Energy Union Governance Regulation.

Sustainability Criteria

The RED II defines a series of sustainability and Green House Gas (GHG) emission criteria that bioliquids used in transport must comply with, to be counted towards the overall 14% target, and to be eligible for financial support by public authorities. Some of these criteria are the same as in the original RED, while others are new or reformulated. In particular, the RED II introduces sustainability for forestry feedstocks as well as GHG criteria for solid and gaseous biomass fuels.

The Commission proposals had, for the first time, included proposed sustainability criteria for solid biomass used for energy. Within amendments to the proposed criteria, MEPs have again favoured the use of waste and residual woody biomass for energy and that the material use of wood should be promoted over energy use where it has greater carbon benefit. This move is an attempt to put RED II more in line with the aims and ambitions of the Circular Economy package and ‘and improve the efficient use of biomass as an energy resource.

 It remains to be seen how the text that could be adopted by Commission, Parliament and Council, following the next phase of negotiations.

Please contact us if you require any clarity or further explanation on the above.