EU-RED Standard
The Bonsucro EU-RED Standard shows that Bonsucro-certified biofuels and biomass fuels made from sugarcane are compliant with the sustainability criteria set out in the European Union Renewable Energy Directive II, and can therefore be imported into the European market.
The Bonsucro EU-RED Standard was first recognised by the European Commission in 2012, and Bonsucro is listed as an approved voluntary scheme under the EU-RED. In 2024, the Bonsucro EU-RED Standard version 2.0 was refreshed to meet new requirements from the European Commission – it was approved by the European Commission, and therefore became binding from April 8 2024.
We have developed a checklist for economic operators and certification bodies carrying out audits against v2.0, to be used alongside the Bonsucro Calculator.
What is the Renewable Energy Directive?
The EU Renewable Energy Directive (EU-RED) is the legal framework for the development of renewable energy across all sectors of the EU economy. The directive is aimed at maintaining the EU’s status as a global leader in renewables and, more broadly, helping it to meet its emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement. Adopted initially in 2009, the first directive promoted the use of energy from renewable sources and set binding national targets for renewable energy in energy consumption and in the transport sector, to be met by 2020.
EU-RED was revised (recast) in 2018 as part of the “Clean Energy for All Europeans” initiative. This recast directive 2018/2001/EU (more commonly known as EU-RED II) set out a new target for renewable energy by 2030, of 32%, and the sustainability criteria was extended to cover biomass fuels for heating, cooling and power generation. EU-RED II entered into force in December 2018.
EU-RED Standard v2.0
In 2022, the European Commission revised its rules to verify sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria, which include low indirect land-use change-risk criteria. These changes are reflected in the Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/996
We have revised our EU-RED Standard in relation to the changes required by the Implementing Regulation, and version 2.0 has been officially approved by the European Commission.
Implementing EU-RED Standard v2
The European Commission requires all Bonsucro-certified economic operators to comply with the requirements of the Implementing Regulation. All EU-RED audits from April 8 2024 should be conducted against version 2.0 of the Standard – however any Bonsucro EU-RED certificates issued in compliance with EU-RED Standard 1.0, before April 8 2024, remain valid until their expiration date.
All Bonsucro EU-RED certified volumes in stock, certified before April 8 2024, will be considered sustainable and as providing accurate information about greenhouse gas emissions under the Implementing Regulation.
The Union Database for Biofuels
The Union Database for Biofuels (UDB) is a traceability tool required by Article 28(2) of EU-RED II. It was created by the EU Commission to guarantee the traceability of liquid and gaseous biofuels, which qualify for inclusion in the renewable energy quota within the transportation sector across all EU member states. From January 15, 2024, UDB has been accessible for successfully registered economic operators for online registration of their initial stock and transactions of liquid renewable and recycled carbon fuels.
All Bonsucro EU-RED certified economic operators need to be registered on the UDB by Bonsucro – please contact your account manager if you are not registered.
To learn more about the UDB and its impact on Bonsucro members, please watch our webinar.
For all inquiries and feedback on any of the Bonsucro standards, revision processes or to request a hard copy of public summaries, standards or other related materials, please contact standards@bonsucro.com
