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IPIECA Biofuels Water Workshop 9 November 2010 Roma Eventi. Water in biofuels certification schemes. Horst Fehrenbach IFEU Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg - Germany. gefördert durch das. Content. Why Certification?
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IPIECA Biofuels Water Workshop 9 November 2010 Roma Eventi Water in biofuels certification schemes Horst Fehrenbach IFEU Institute for Energy and Environmental Research Heidelberg - Germany gefördert durch das
Content • Why Certification? • Overview on certification systems addressing water • What do the systems assess? (focus on three specific examples) • Open questions - Outlook
Climate change: impact on biomass productivity The presentation should rather focus on the concrete requirements included in the standards you are covering Horst, in your case, I suggest you pick 2 or 3 significant systems included in your chapter, perhaps feedstock-specific schemes only? I don’t think any biofuel regulation address water issues so far, right? Importantly, the challenges for the concrete implementation of water requirements (how to measure and evaluate water performance without being too technical or burdensome for economic operators for example) should be addressed and if possible, a few outlooks on how to cope with these challenges, based on your experience.
Why certification? • broadly agreed: water is an essential aspect regarding sustainability assessments. • stakeholders have enclosed water related criteria into voluntary systems. • the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) encloses requirements concerning water • voluntary systems may be applied or adequately adapted to meet the legal requirements
What are the requirements by the EU RED? Why certification? • “… economic operators shall submit reliable information on measures taken for • measures taken for soil, water and air protection • and the avoidance of excessive water consumption in areas where water is scarce …” • ( RED Article 18, paragraph 3) • NO CRITERION, JUST REPORTING!
Why certification? 1. excessive water consumption by biomassproduction might worsen water scarcity. need for a scheme to identify excessive water consumption 2. Areas where water is scarce need to be classified. need for an indicator Do existing voluntary systems match with these requirements? Do they provide a practical basis
Overview on certification systems addressing water quantitative qualitative
What do the systems assess? Example: RSPO - direct concern
What do the systems assess? Example: RSPO - indirect concern
What do the systems assess? Example: RTRS - direct concern
What do the systems assess? Example: RTRS - direct concern
What do the systems assess? Example: RSB - direct concern
What do the systems assess? Example: RSB - direct concern
Open questions A useful Indicator for water scarcity is needed
Open questions What is the appropriate resolution? very large units: a.) National level: data are available, but not related to hydrological units. b.) large streams, river basins: hydrological units too large, not expressive . small hydrological units: Expressive, but no data! Recommendation: Medium scale with the chance to gain data and to comply with the scientific relevance.
Summary and Outlook • Certification systems for Biofuel (or suitable feedstock) are addressing water issues amply! • RED requires reporting on excessive water consumption in regions of water scarcity. • Major concern: irrigation no focus within experienced certification systems (e.g. FSC) no experiences from the upcoming systems • Water conflict occur locally/regionally and due to a combination of factors. There will be lessons to learn how to avoid conflicts or aggravating scarcities by applying the named ambitious certification systems
Thank you for listening! QUESTIONS? Horst Fehrenbach horst.fehrenbach@ifeu.de