Overview of sustainability criteria for biofuels
Sustainability criteria for biofuels are prescribed by regulation under the Liquid Fuel Supply Act 1984 (the Act), to
support the implementation of the biofuels mandate.
Sustainability criteria
The sustainability criteria set environmental performance standards that must be satisfied by the relevant entities
within the biofuels supply chain, in order for the biofuel to be eligible to be counted under Queensland’s biofuels
mandate. The Regulation sets two sustainability criteria:
1. A greenhouse gas benefit; and
2. Compliance with a broader environmental standard specific to the relevant feedstock or, in accordance with
transitional requirements for existing facilities, as specified below.
The sustainability criteria outlined below establish an acceptable base level of environmental performance for
producers. They also provide transitional provisions through which environmental outcomes will be improved over
time.
Under the transitional provisions, all existing biofuel producers currently supplying the Queensland market are
capable of supplying sustainable fuel eligible to be counted under the mandate, from commencement.
Obligations on fuel sellers
Fuel sellers (retailers and wholesalers) who are liable to meet the mandate already need to report volumes of
sustainable biobased petrol and sustainable bio based diesel under section 35E of the Act. The Government
expects that:
1. retailers and wholesalers would rely upon supply contracts and other commercial arrangements to ensure
that they are provided with biofuels which meets the sustainability criteria if they are reporting that fuel
against their mandate liabilities; and
2. retailers and wholesalers will be able to demonstrate this if required. For example, they may be able to
provide the regulator with relevant contracting provisions and steps taken to verify those contractual
arrangements.
Table 1: Sustainability Criteria for Biobased Petrol and Biobased Diesel
Greenhouse gas requirements
Biofuel Type
Feedstock
Sustainability criteria to be prescribed
All biofuels, regardless of the type and feedstock source, must deliver greenhouse
gas emissions savings of at least 20% (before blending) when compared to regular
petrol or diesel. Compliance can be demonstrated by either:
All biobased
petrol and
biobased
diesel
 commissioning an approved lifecycle assessment of the biofuel production
All feedstock
process; or
 by obtaining approval that the biofuel production process is within the scope of
an existing and current lifecycle assessment that has been approved by the
chief executive of the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection
(EHP) and which will be made available to industry; or
 where the entire biofuels supply chain complies with the RSB.1
1 RSB standard refers to the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) principles and criteria for Sustainable Biofuel Production version 2.1, RSB code reference RSBSTD-01-001.
Overview of sustainability criteria for biofuels
Biofuel Type
Feedstock
Sustainability criteria to be prescribed
Environmental standards
Biobased petrol such as ethanol based fuels
Produced in a supply chain certified under the RSB standard, ISCC2 or
approved equivalent standard and, where derived from oil palm, the RSPO3,
or approved equivalent standard.
Imported biobased
petrol
Any nonwaste
feedstock
Domestically
produced
biobased petrol
Sugarcane /
Molasses
Domestically
produced
biobased petrol
Grain or
other nonwaste
feedstock
Domestically
produced or
imported biobased
petrol
Waste
Feedstock is derived from sugarcane produced under accredited Smartcane
BMP or an approved equivalent standard.
For existing producers, the proportion of BMP accredited feedstock required
progressively increases to 100% by 1 July 2020 (see table 2).
Facility must be certified against the RSB standard, ISCC or approved
equivalent standard and, if derived from oil palms, the RSPO or an approved
equivalent standard.
For existing producers, certification must be achieved by 30 June 2018.
Feedstock that is a waste is obtained and managed in line with relevant
regulatory requirements.
Other biobased
petrol not
specified above
Produced in a supply chain that is certified under the RSB standard, ISCC or
approved equivalent standard and, if derived from oil palms, the RSPO or an
approved equivalent standard.
Biobased diesel
Waste
Domestically or
internationally
produced
biobased diesel
Feedstock that is a waste must be obtained and managed in accordance with
the relevant regulatory requirements.
Produced in a supply chain that is certified under the RSB standard, RSPO or
an approved equivalent standard.
Palm oil
Other
Produced in a supply chain that is certified under the RSB standard, ISCC or
an approved equivalent standard.
Table 2: Transitional provisions for existing domestically produced biobased petrol sourced from
sugarcane
Time Period
Proportion of feedstock sourced from Smartcane BMP Accredited farms
1 January 2017 to 30 June 2017
0%
1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
15%
1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019
30%
1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020
60%
1 July 2020 onwards
100%
2 International Sustainability and Carbon Certification system as recognised by the European Commission.
3 RSPO standard refers to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) principles and criteria for the production of sustainable palm oil (2013).
2