Sustainable biofuels from waste and residual materials
This requires the so-called producer business of the sustainable biomass, the biogas plant with the treatment plant, together with the so-called first and last interfaces, to be certified under a system.
German biofuel quota law
The German biofuel quota law ("Biokraftstoffquotengesetz") which came into force in 2007, requires that the mineral oil industry markets an increasing minimum proportion of its fuel sales in the form of biofuels (mandatory quota). This mandatory quota can also be achieved by adding biomethane to natural gas fuel. In the biofuel sector, proof of sustainably produced biofuels is a requirement for relief under the energy tax law ("Energiesteuergesetz"). Quantities of biomethane produced from waste and residual materials are deemed to be particularly eligible biofuels. Since 2011, in addition to the tax relief they can be offset against the mandatory quota with twice their quantity under the Federal Immissions Control Law ("Bundesimmissionsschutzgesetz").
Proof of sustainability is fulfilled if the entire production and supply chain fulfils area-related requirements and the greenhouse gas reduction requirements and this can be clearly demonstrated and traced via a mass-balance system.
Practical aspects of waste management with its legal framework conditions clash with those of a biofuel market and theoretical definitions of sustainability from the area of agricultural biogas plants. Therefore, special solutions are required for a biowaste fermentation plant, in order to fulfil the requirements for proofs of sustainably produced biofuels.
Steps to the certificate
In preliminary work for Erdgas Schwaben, the requirements for the special situation of a biowaste fermentation plant in the biofuel market were clarified with the certification system and certification organisation. Based on this, bifa provided advice and assistance with the continued verification management of AVA GmbH through to certification for the biofuel market and calculated greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the system requirements. With the issue of the certificate by TÜV Süd, which is valid throughout Europe, the complex issue was concluded successfully for the players involved.