EU states to allow new biofuels feedstocks by Sept 2025

EU states have to amend laws, regulations and administrative provisions by 14 September 2025, to allow for the expansion of eligible feedstocks for biofuels and biogas under the bloc's renewables law, according to a new directive published today.

The new commission directive expands eligible biofuels feedstocks to crops grown on severely degraded land risks as well as intermediate and cover crops.

The EU law distinguishes between "advanced" uses, in aviation, for biofuels coming from intermediate and cover crops as well as crops grown on severely degraded land risks.

Use in maritime or road sectors is defined as "mature" and capped at 1.7pc of the share of transport fuels and electricity under part B of the EU's renewable directive's annex IX.

The EU has also added feedstocks such as cyanobacteria, advanced feedstocks fusel oils from alcoholic distillation and raw methanol from kraft pulping from wood pulp production.

Intermediate, catch and cover from single harvest areas are now included as advanced if they do not trigger demand for additional land and soil organic matter content is maintained, albeit only when used for biofuels in the aviation sector. Similarly biofuels made from non-food or feed crops grown on severely degraded land are deemed advanced when used as biofuel for aviation.

For part B mature feedstocks, the EU has added non-intentionally damaged crops not fit for food or feed use, municipal wastewater and derivatives other than sewage sludge. Additionally crops from severely degraded land and intermediate crops are deemed mature, when not used for aviation biofuel.

The commission only proposed the delegated directive on 14 March. Publication in the bloc's official journal brings to an end a long period of discussion with various draft legislative documents.

By Dafydd ab Iago