Towards a global system for certified sustainably produced biomass for energy applications Jarno Dakhorst 1 , Harold Pauwels 1 , Ortwin Costenoble 1 , Michiel Roks 2 18 th European Biomass Conference, Lyon, 6 May 2010 1 NEN – Netherlands Standardization Institute 2 TU/e – Technical University Eindhoven
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20100506 EBC Towards a global certification system for biomass
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Towards a global system for certified sustainably produced biomass for energy applications
Jarno Dakhorst1, Harold Pauwels1, Ortwin Costenoble1, Michiel Roks2
18th European Biomass Conference, Lyon, 6 May 2010
1 NEN – Netherlands Standardization Institute
2 TU/e – Technical University Eindhoven
Background (1)
• Biomass from green revolution to hot issue
• Establishment project group in 2006 by Dutch
government addressing sustainability
• Final report 'Testing framework for sustainable biomass'
in 2007 with sustainability criteria on:
– greenhouse gases (emissions and carbon stocks)
– competition with food or other local applications
– biodiversity
– environment (soil, water and air)
– prosperity
– social well-being
Background (2)
• Establishment BIOPEC consortium in 2007 aiming at certification system for sustainable biomass
• Certification system requires:
– document with requirements for sustainable biomass production and chain of custody => NTA 8080
– scheme with rules for certification => NTA 8081
• NEN facilitates process to develop and manage certification system
– standard is voluntary agreement on product, process or service
– principles: all parties concerned, transparency, consensus
– NEN is not a certification body, so independent and neutral
NTA 8080 Sustainability criteria for biomass for energy
purposes (1)
• Developed by broadly composed working group =>
25 organizations from industry, NGOs and government
• Translation of criteria from 'Testing framework for
sustainable biomass' in verifiable requirements
• Developed in timeframe of 8 months
• Requirements apply to primary biomass producers
except for greenhouse gas balance (entire supply chain)
• Residues => list of exceptions (based on NTA 8003)
• Small-holders => some exemptions or group certification
NTA 8080 Sustainability criteria for biomass for energy
purposes (2)
• Inclusion of consultation of stakeholders (by both
producers and certification bodies)
• Based on continuous improvement (PDCA cycle)
• Chain of custody => all models possible
• Reference date new production units 1 January 2007
• Available in Dutch and English
NTA 8080 sustainability criteria (1)
Principle Requirement
Greenhouse gas balance
Emission savings compared with fossil reference: • 70% for power & heat, ref. coal-fired installations; innovative technologies 50% • 50% for power & heat, ref. gas-fired installations • 60% for biogas • 50% for biofuels; 35% for some biofuels till 2012
Carbon stocks For new production units: • exclusion of areas with high above-ground carbon stocks • exclusion of areas with high risk of significant carbon losses from the soil • carbon losses shall be compensated within ten years
NTA 8080 sustainability criteria (2)
Principle Requirement
Competition
with food and
other local
applications
Reporting of information, if available, about:
• land use changes
• changes in land and food prices
• availability of biomass for food, energy supply,
construction materials, medicines, etc.
Biodiversity For new production units:
• exclusion of gazetted protected areas and high
conservation value areas incl. 5 km zone around
=> under some conditions not excluded
• 10% of functional area covered with original
vegetation
NTA 8080 sustainability criteria (3)
Principle Requirement
Biodiversity (continued)
For all production units: • compliance with national and local relevant legislation • measures to conserve, recover and strengthen biodiversity
Soil quality • compliance with national or local relevant legislation • measures to preserve and improve soil quality • conditions for use of residues
Water quality • compliance with national or local relevant legislation • measures to preserve and improve water quality • no use of non-renewable water sources
NTA 8080 sustainability criteria (4)
Principle Requirement
Air quality • compliance with national or local relevant legislation • measures to preserve and improve air quality • no burning during construction and operation; under conditions possible
Prosperity • measures to involve local population (also in management) and contribute to local economy
Social well-being
• practices and measures to: – provide good working conditions – respect human rights – respect property rights – contribute to local social well-being – prevent corruption and improve integrity
NTA 8080 chain of custody
Segregation
Book & claim
Mass balance
(required by RED)
NTA 8081 Certification scheme for sustainably
produced biomass for energy purposes (1)
• Developed by broadly composed committee of experts =>
25 organizations from industry, NGOs and government
• Developed and validated in timeframe of 12 months
• Validation by (inter)national projects (pilots)
• Pilots resulted in first interpretation document NTA 8080
• Chain of custody => elaboration of mass balance
• Ready to use, formal publication after acknowledgement
by Dutch Accreditation Council
• To be assessed by EC as tool to prove RED compliance
• Available in Dutch and English
NTA 8081 Certification scheme for sustainably
produced biomass for energy purposes (2)
• Certification scheme describes:
– scope of scheme
– requirements for certification bodies and auditor(s)
– audit effort in man-days
– method of conformity assessment
– assessment frequency and validity of certificate
– 'minor' & 'major' non-conformities and way to deal with
– conditions and requirements for group certification
– necessary information for register and report
– way of complaints, objection, appeal, suspension and de-
registration
Organization structure
NEN Scheme ownership is acknowledged
by Dutch Accreditation Council as
scheme owner
Certification system
Documents and tools:
– NTA 8080
– NTA 8081
– interpretation documents
– central register*
– flow charts on procedures
– system plans*
– web portal www.nta8080.org or
www.sustainable-biomass.org
– …
* in development
Small-holders definition (1)
Characteristics Description
Physical farm size Maximum size differs from 2 to 100 hectares
Financial farm size Various indicators:
minimum 50% of income
maximum income USD 5.000
below average income of village
maximum annual turnover and/or balance sheet
EUR 10 million
maximum USD 100.000 sales and income under
poverty level or half country median
• Challenge: How to define a small-holder?
• Wide variety of definitions:
Small-holders definition (2)
Characteristics Description
Labour
composition
Various indicators:
minimum from 50% to 100% of family (or family
based)
less than 50 employees
Resources Various indicators:
low-tech production system
limited capacity of storage/ processing
capital, assets and infrastructure require
collective marketing
limited endowment relative to other farmers in
sector
low asset base
Small-holders importance
• About 2 billion small-holders (UNIDO)
– in least developed countries over 70% of population derive their
livelihoods from agricultural sector and/or small-holder enterprises
• Small-holders are often poor, but present possibilities for
development
– biomass is often claimed to be useful in increasing income,
improving livelihoods and alleviating poverty
• Small-holders efficient and environmentally friendly
– limited economies of scale in agriculture; small-holders increase