Review of the RED sustainability guidelines when applied to multiple combined pathways of renewable energy

Abstract

For several years, the European Commission has been promoting the development and use of renewable energy sources. In order to ensure the sustainability of renewable sources, the directive 2009/28/EC, or the RED-Directive, and the related COM/2010/11 provide guidelines for calculating GHG impact for various single bioenergy pathways. This research looks further into the consequences of the single pathway approach of the RED guidelines.

We compare the sustainability analysis according to the RED guidelines using the Bioenergy Sustainability Assessment Tool (B-SAT) with a standard biophysical sustainability assessment using the Cumulative Exergy Extraction from the Natural Environment (CEENE). This comparison is performed by investigating the sustainability impact of an Energy Conversion Park (ECP). An ECP collects various flows of biomass residues, and combines different technologies to create multiple outputs. This allows the valorisation of smaller waste streams and optimised use of installations, generated heat and power.

The results show that the application of the RED guidelines is based on several assumptions. This can lead to diverging results. It is advisable to provide more detailed rules for the application of the RED guidelines, and to complement them with other methods specifically targeting uncovered sustainability aspects, thereby enhancing the overall understanding of the sustainability of the process.