This document specifies a detailed methodology that will allow any economic operator in a biofuel or bioliquid chain to calculate the actual GHG emissions associated with its operations in a standardised and transparent manner, taking all materially relevant aspects into account. It includes all steps of the chain from biomass production to the end transport and distribution operations.

The methodology strictly follows the principles and rules stipulated in the RED (amended by European Parliament and Council Directive 2015/1513, referred to as the ILUC Directive [3]), and particularly its Annex V, the EC decision dated 10 June 2010 “Guideline for calculation of land carbon stocks” for the purpose of Annex V to Directive 2009/28/EC (2010/335/EU) [6] as well as any additional interpretation of the legislative text published by the EU Commission Where appropriate these rules are clarified, explained and further elaborated. In the context of accounting for heat and electricity consumption and surpluses reference is also made to Directive 2004/8/EC [7] on “the promotion of cogeneration based on a useful heat demand in the internal energy market” and the associated EU Commission decision of 21/12/2006 “establishing harmonised efficiency reference values for separate production of electricity and heat” [8].

The main purpose of this standard is to specify a methodology to estimate GHG emissions at each step of the biofuel/bioliquid production and transport chain. The specific way in which these emissions have to be combined to establish the overall GHG balance of a biofuel or bioliquid depends on the chain of custody system in use and is not per se within the scope of this part 4 of the EN 16214 standard. Part 2 of the standard, addresses these issues in detail also in accordance with the stipulations of the RED. Nevertheless, Clause  of this part of the standard includes general indications and guidelines on how to integrate the different parts of the chain.