In a document dated 25 January obtained by EUROPE, the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union consulted Member States on the provisions relating to biomass in the framework of the revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive (2018/2001) (RED II).
The Presidency’s first question concerns whether or not there is a need for criteria other than those proposed by the European Commission concerning the application of the principle of the cascading use of biomass (the principle of aiming at an efficient use of biomass by giving priority to its material use over its energy use).
In its proposal for revision, the European Commission intends to oblige Member States to take measures to ensure that biomass energy is produced in a way that minimises unduly distorting effects on the market for biomass feedstocks and adverse effects on biodiversity, taking into account the waste hierarchy (set out in EU Directive 2008/98) and the principle of the cascading use of biomass.
Member States would also be required to phase out support for installations producing only electricity from biomass starting 31 December 2026, unless the electricity in question meets certain conditions.
Paris is also consulting EU countries on the level of rated thermal output of solid biomass fuel power plants at which the sustainability criteria defined in the directive would apply.
While the Commission proposes 5 MW (instead of 20 MW in the current directive), the Presidency asks the Member States what threshold level would be appropriate “to allow for an extension of the sustainability criteria to these installations, while at the same time avoiding the introduction of an administrative burden that would be too heavy on small installations”.
Regarding the sustainability criteria suggested by the Commission, Paris wonders whether they should be clarified “to take account of the diversity of forestry situations within the EU”, and if so, in what way.
Finally, the French Presidency would like to know whether Member States agree with the Commission’s proposal to apply greenhouse gas emission criteria to all installations (including biogas production, electricity and heat), whether they are old or new, or whether they believe that certain types of installations should benefit from a grandfather clause.
These questions will be discussed by experts from national delegations, on 1 February, at the EU Council’s Working Party on Energy.
See the French Presidency document (in French): https://bit.ly/3ukKkxl (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)