RED II certification in the biogas sector – challenges and first experiences

Thomas Siegmund, head of biomass certification at the Sustainable Resources Verification Scheme (SURE), discusses the implications of RED II on the biogas sector. On 18 December 2018, the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) came into force, which obliged EU Member States to request binding proof of sustainability for the generation of electricity and heat from solid and gaseous biomass fuels by July 2021 at the latest. Even if it is delayed, the requirements of the RED II are now anchored in national law in an increasing number of countries, and biomass plant operators are obliged to prove conformity with the sustainability criteria to receive funding in the future. RED II affects plants with a thermal input capacity of at least 20 MW if solid biomass fuels are used, and if gaseous biomass fuels are used with a total thermal output of 2 MW or more. If, for example, they receive a feed-in tariff for the electricity they generate, or if...