Australia will now be an ‘observing country’ on the International Organisation for Standardisation’s (ISO) Technical Committee 248 (TC 248): Sustainability Criteria for Bioenergy.

Standards Australia will provide secretariat support and facilitate the Australian component of the work on the committee alongside partner Biofuels Australia, who will also provide funding and support.

TC 248 has been investigating the standardisation of sustainability criteria for the production, supply chain and application of bioenergy since it was established in 2009.

The scope of TC 248 incorporates the environmental, social and economic sustainability of bioenergy, and the international definition of key terms used in the industry.

Article continues below…

TC 248 is managed by Germany and Brazil as main secretariats. Fourteen other nations have joined the committee as observing countries, including New Zealand, and there are 28 ‘participating’ countries in TC 248.

Four sub-committees are conducting working groups on aspects of standardising worldwide bioenergy production, including cross-cutting issues, greenhouse gases and indirect effects.

Standards Australia says that the standardisation work undertaken by the sub-committees will help to provide certainty for Australia’s biofuels sector. The organisation has pledged to use its participation in TC 248 as an opportunity to deliver international input into policy settings in Australia.

Standards Australia Chief Executive Colin Blair says that the ISO TC 248 will be instrumental in delivering internationally-aligned standards for the Australian bioenergy sector.

“Through the ISO Technical Committee, Standards Australia will work with industry and the Federal Government to develop internationally-agreed sustainability criteria for the sector,” says Mr Blair.

“Bioenergy presents many opportunities for Australian industry, innovation and the environment.”

Bioenergy Australia, a government and industry forum for the development of biomass for energy, liquid fuels, and other value-added bio-based products, says that this standardisation process is important for the sector.

“We welcome the move towards firming up sustainability standards and criteria across the whole bioenergy spectrum, and have agreed to participate in the process,” says Bioenergy Australia Manager Stephen Schuck.

“The international trade in biomass and biofuels has made standardisation even more important internationally, and the Australian sector wants to ensure that the biofuels it introduces into the market are of the highest environmental credentials.”

Bioenergy Australia is set to hold a series of workshops at its 2011 conference in Queensland which will focus on environmental sustainability in bioenergy production, designed to dovetail with progress on the ISO’s bioenergy criteria initiative.

“We’ll use the conference and forums to progress the discussion about standards and the move towards sustainability issues in the industry,” Mr Schuck says.

Standards Australia will provide feedback on any new industry criteria in line with the results of the Federal Government’s Alternative Fuels legislation package, introduced to parliament in May 2011 by Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten and passed in June 2011.

The legislation will see the current taxation arrangements for renewable fuels (ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel) continue for the next ten years from 2011. The Federal Government will undertake a review of the taxation and grant arrangements for ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel after 30 June 2012.

Standards Australia is the Australian member of ISO, and is an independent and not-for-profit organisation.