In August 2012, following consultation with members of the Steering Commitee and the Chairs of WG4 (Sustainability) and WG5 (Markets and Policy), and stakeholders, the activities of the two groups were merged into a new working group named WG4 Policy and Sustainabilty. This reflects the vital importance of sustainability as a cross-cutting issue that is fundamental to the production and use of all biofuels, and the commercial development of advanced biofuels in Europe.

The new working group WG4 Policy and Suatainability continues to address important topics relating to biofuels markets and sustainability, by providing papers to the Commission outlining views on policy issues gathered from WG members of the EBTP, and approved by the Steering Committee. For example, the Policy toolkit below was prepared by WG4 in the summer of 2012 and discusses potential support mechanisms (and associated issues) for advanced biofuels covering demand, supply and investment, and also discusses issues and potential solutions relating to the double counting mechanism.

Policy toolkit to improve the support mechanisms for advanced biofuels –
a living document from EBTP (136 Kb)

WG4 Policy and Sustainability continues to take into account the environmental, economic and social impacts of biofuel development in Europe. It aims to define transparent sustainability indicators for biofuels, particularly in relation to the technical research that is a focus of Work Groups 1 to 3. This activity will now be more closely integrated with issues relating to European Biofuels Markets and policy.

A Strategy Deployment Document was developed by former WG5 and published (together with the Strategic Research Agenda) in January 2008. An Update to the SRA was published in summer 2010.

An ILUC paper has also been produced. In the context of the discussion around indirect land use change for biofuels, the European Biofuels Technology Platform holds the view that there is an opportunity for the EU to signal its support to policies that further enhance the deployment of advanced biofuels. Views on ILUC (74 Kb)

A consensus of comments made by members of EBTP Working Group 4 Policy and Sustainability as well as members of the EBTP Steering Committee was produced in response to the EC proposals for a draft ilUC directive to update the Renewable Energy Diretcive and Fuel Quality Directive:  EBTP comments on the RED / FQD Review

Other topics covered by WG4 Policy and Sustainability have included aviation biofuels, implementation of biofuels sustainability measures in Member States, prEN 16214 (CEN TC/383 sustainability criteria for biomass), NER300, 2014 revision of the Fuel Quality Directive and Renewable Energy Directive, and the current ‘turmoil’ surrounding cereal production and grain markets following adverse weather and reduced yields in 2012.