Sustainability Standard

The Biofuels Act 2007 provides that, to be counted towards meeting an obligation under the Act, biofuels must meet a sustainability standard.

The Biofuels Regulation 2007 prescribes as a standard the Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Biofuels Version Zero, published by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) on 13 August 2008.

This standard is still in draft form. The final Version One was expected to be published in June 2009, however it has now been delayed until December 2009. A further Amending Regulation is planned to prescribe Version One after it is published.

The certification system required to fully implement the RSB standard is not expected to be in place until late 2010, and a further reasonable time will need to be allowed for producers to obtain certification. During this period, biofuel producers may demonstrate compliance with the RSB Principles and Criteria by reference to their Environmental Assessment and Planning Approval documents, or other evidence of sustainability.

The onus is on volume sellers to take reasonable steps to ensure that the compliance of their biofuels supplies can be demonstrated.