RSB Achieves Milestone with the European Commission’s Approval for Co-processing under RED II

January 20, 2025

Print This Article Share it With Friends

(Roundtable for Sustainable Biomaterials) RSB is proud to announce that the European Commission has granted a positive technical assessment for expanding the RSB EU RED Fuels Certification Scheme to include co-processing under the Renewable Energy Directive II (RED II).

This approval highlights the important transitory role of co-processing in decarbonisation efforts, and further emphasises RSB’s role of providing clarity on how to advance the sustainable bioeconomy through certification to RSB’s robust sustainability framework.

What is co-processing?

Sustainable fuels are the single biggest opportunity today to decarbonise carbon-intensive sectors, such as aviation shipping, and heavy transport. However, fossil fuels are still more affordable and available than these alternative fuels, meaning that innovations and investments will be required to scale sustainable fuel technologies, production and supply chains.

This is where co-processing comes in.

Co-processed fuels are fuels that are produced by blending bio-based feedstocks (e.g. used cooking oil and animal fats) with fossil fuel-based feedstocks (e.g. crude oil and coal). This is done by integrating renewable inputs into existing fossil refinery infrastructure. This offers a cost-effective and transitionary pathway to the production of sustainable fuels, which are critical for decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, shipping, and heavy transport.

The regulatory basis for co-processing

The European Commission’s positive assessment is grounded in RED II and specifically supported by Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640 of 5 June 2023.

This regulation provides the methodology to determine the share of biofuel and biogas that is co-processed with fossil fuels in a common process.

Key provisions include:

RED II Article 25: Establishes mandatory lifecycle GHG reduction thresholds of at least 70% for fuels, including co-processed outputs.
RED II Annex IX: Identifies eligible feedstocks, such as used cooking oil and animal fats, for renewable content in co-processed fuels.
Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640 Article 4: Specifies the calculation method for allocating the bio-based share in co-processed fuels based on the energy content of the bio-based and fossil feedstock. This is critical for ensuring transparency and alignment with RED II requirements.

What would RSB Certification look like in practice?

RSB’s certification system distinguishes itself by incorporating both technical and holistic sustainability criteria. While the Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640 outlines the technical methodology for co-processing, the RSB EU RED Fuels Certification Scheme complements this with broader sustainability safeguards, including biodiversity, water stewardship, and social equity.

This ensures that RSB-certified co-processed fuels meet not only regulatory standards, but social and environmental standards too.

For example, a refinery co-processing biogenic oils, such as used cooking oil, with fossil fuels can apply Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640’s allocation methodology to determine the bio-based share. Then, RSB certification will validate this process, ensuring compliance with RED II while addressing additional sustainability dimensions like social responsibility and lifecycle GHG reductions.

Of course, challenges exist.

Co-processing introduces unique complexities in the allocation of renewable content, lifecycle GHG emissions accounting, and ensuring traceability. However, these challenges have been addressed in RSB’s robust certification framework, which RSB continuously develops in collaboration with its multi-stakeholder membership community.

Allocation of renewable content: The methodology provided in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640 forms the foundation for RSB’s approach to determining the renewable fraction of co-processed fuels. Our certification process ensures compliance by accurately calculating the energy contribution of renewable feedstocks in line with this regulation.
Lifecycle GHG emissions accounting: RSB employs advanced lifecycle assessment (LCA) tools to ensure certified fuels meet RED II Annex V’s GHG reduction requirements and the thresholds outlined in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640.
Traceability and Chain of Custody: RSB’s chain-of-custody system ensures that every step in the co-processing chain, from biomass input to final fuel output, adheres to the traceability standards required under RED II Article 30 and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640.
Independent Oversight: Sajoma, RSB’s third-party technical Oversight Body, provides an added layer of integrity to RSB’s certification framework. By performing witness audits, reviewing audit reports, and verifying CB compliance with RSB’s stringent requirements, Sajoma ensures that RSB can comprehensively address co-processing’s complexities.

Looking ahead

The inclusion of co-processed fuels within RSB’s certification scope, in line with RED II and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640, reflects RSB’s ability to address complex regulatory requirements with precision.

By leveraging RSB’s rigorous standards, stakeholders can confidently adopt co-processing technologies, meet regulatory demands, and contribute meaningfully to advancing a sustainable bioeconomy: refiners will be able to demonstrate compliance with RED II and Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1640; producers will be able to access markets requiring renewable energy quotas; and industry players will be to attract further investment by demonstrating alignment with EU sustainability criteria.

As we look ahead, RSB’s certification work will continue to set the highest of sustainability standards, ensuring that bioeconomy stakeholders stay ahead of evolving regulatory frameworks – and through proactive engagement with our members and global policymakers – remain at the forefront of driving a sustainable bio-based and circular economy.

In light of the recent approval co-processing under RED II, the following standards and guidances have been created or updated: