20100525 Certification sustainable biomassa NTA 8080-81

Workshop on Biomass Sustainability in Ukraine, Hotel Ukraine, Kiev, 25 May 2010

Certification of sustainably produced

biomass – NTA 8080 & NTA 8081

Jarno Dakhorst, NEN Energy Resources

Certification of sustainably produced biomass – NTA 8080 & NTA 8081

Outline

• Background

• NTA 8080: Sustainability requirements

• NTA 8080: Chain of custody

• NTA 8081: Certification scheme

• Certification system

• Outlook


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 requirements (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



• 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



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




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




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




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 (1)

Segregation

Certified chain

Regular (uncertified) chain



Mass balance (required by RED, 2009/28/EC)

Certified chain

Regular (uncertified) chain



Book & claim

Biomass chain


NTA 8081: Certification scheme (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 (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


Certification system (1)

NEN Scheme Ownership is acknowledged by

Dutch Accreditation Council as scheme owner



• Documents and tools:

– NTA 8080

– NTA 8081

– interpretation documents

(NTA 8080, elaboration mass balance)

– central register*

– flow charts on procedures

– system plans for self-assessment by organization to be certified

and risk analysis by auditor*

– web portal www.nta8080.org or www.sustainable-biomass.org

– …

* in development



• 4 types of scopes:

– ‘Producer’ for organization producing primary biomass or

collecting residual flows, as described in NTA 8080, annex A

– ‘Processor’ for organization processing or converting (primary)

biomass

– ‘Trader’ for organization trading in biomass

– ‘End-user’ for organization using biomass for generation of

electricity and heat or production of biogas or biofuel



• Procedure:

– check if organization falls within scope NTA 8080

– complete system plan (self assessment) and

undertake necessary actions if not satisfactory

– apply for certification by recognized certification

body (if organization thinks it is ready)

– co-operate with audit team of certification body

(e.g. documentation, site visit)

– if compliance with NTA 8080, NTA 8080 certificate is granted to

organization; otherwise first correct non-conformities

– organization is included in central register with scope certificate


Outlook (1)

Europe => CEN/TC 383:

• Standard on conformity assessment including chain of

custody to assist economic operators demonstrating RED

compliance (note: EC does not require certification)

• Waiting for EC communication on mass balance method

and voluntary schemes to finalize draft

• Formal publication in May 2012, than adoption by all

CEN members

• NTA 8080 shall be reviewed and revised

(e.g. incorporation of interpretation documents)


Outlook (2)

International => ISO/PC 248:

• One standard covering similar scope as NTA 8080

(standard does not require certification)

• Publication in May 2014, might be adopted by NL

(depending on level of sustainability)

• If adopted, NTA 8080 will be superfluous

(but has proven its existence for at least 5 years)

• Certification scheme could be adjusted to ISO standard


Questions?

Thank you for your attention

NEN Scheme

Ownership NTA 8080

[email protected]

+31-15-2 690 326

www.nta8080.org