Bioenergy

 

Status: The Bioenergy and Biofuel Criteria Document Part 1 of 2 has been released. These Criteria cover bioenergy (including biofuel) projects excluding those using woody biomass or solely generating electricity. Get in contact with certification@climatebonds.net(link sends e-mail)to start the certification process of your bioenergy green bond.

Financial instruments (bonds and loans) linked to these eligible assets, activities and entities will be aligned with the Paris Agreement and the goal of keeping global temperature rises to no more than 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels.

Bioenergy Criteria Webinar

The Goal 
An expanded role of bioenergy is required for the transition to a low carbon and climate resilient economy. However, bioenergy can also generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions duing feedstock production and processing, transport and distribution; and have impacts on the resilience of the ecosystem to climate change through changes to water quality, biodiversity and soil carbon, etc.

To address these issues and to identify low carbon and climate resilient bioenergy investments, the Climate Bonds Initiative has launched the Bioenergy Technical Working Group (TWG) to develop Eligibility Criteria for assets in the bioenergy sector under the Climate Bond Standard. ​

The Criteria
The Bioenergy and Biofuel Criteria lay out the requirements that bioenergy assets and/or projects must meet to be eligible for inclusion in a Certified Climate Bond. The Criteria apply to a variety of bioenergy assets and projects including facilities producing biofuel/biomass for electricity, heating/cooling and transport; energy generation facilities including electricity, heating/cooling and cogeneration facilities; and dedicated supporting infrastructure.

The Bioenergy and Biofuel Criteria contain both Mitigation Requirements and Adaptation & Resilience Requirements:

 

How the Bioenergy and Biofuel Criteria were developed

The Climate Bonds Initiative has convened experts from academia, international agencies, industry and NGOs​ in bioenergy sector and established the Bioenergy Technical Working Group (TWG). The TWG met monthly to discuss and adivise on the development of bioenergy criteria, covering issues regarding climate mitigation and adaptation, and other environmental impacts in bioenergy sector.

After the TWG finished their discussions and proposed draft Bioenergy and Biofuel Criteria, a Bioenergy Industry Working Group (Bioenergy IWG) consisting of potential green bond issuers, investors, financial intermediaries and verifiers was set up to advise and review the draft Criteria being developed by the TWG, test the practicality of the Criteria and providing recommendations for further improvement. 

After the Bioenergy IWG review, the Criteria were released to the market for public consultation. Once feedback had been incorporated, the Criteria was submitted to the Climate Bonds Standard Board for approval. Once approved, the Criteria were first published in July 2019 allowing certification of bioenergy-related investments under the Climate Bonds Standard.

Bioenergy Technical Working Group (TWG)

E4Tech Dr. Ausilio Bauen​ Director	National Wildlife Federation Barbara Bramble​ Vice President, International Conservation and Corporate Strategies	Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Aziz Elbehri​ Senior Economist, Trade and Markets Division	Utrecht University Dr Birka Wicke ​​Assistant Professor Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development - Energy & Resource
The University of British Columbia​ Jack (John) N Saddler​ Professor, Department of Wood Science	Accreditation Services International​ László Máthé Accreditation Program Manager and Lead Author	University of Wisconsin-Madison Molly Jahn​ Professor	International Institute for Sustainability Analysis and Strategy​ Uwe R. Fritsche Scientific Director
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VITO Luc Pelkmans Project Manager Bioenergy & Biomass	Spatial Informatics Group (SIG) ​ Dr Thomas Buchholz Forest and Agriculture	Arise International Shay Reza Co-Founder​