28 May 2026, The Hague (The Netherlands) - During an oral presentation at EUBCE, Martijn Vis of BTG, explored the EU target-based demand for advanced biofuels made from lignocellulosic feedstock, for example by fast pyrolysis and gasification pathways.
The RED III sub-target of 5.5% advanced biofuels and RFNBOs in final transport stimulates demand for biofuels made from feedstock listed in Annex IX-A. However, based on Eurostat data [1], in 2023 only 4.9% (209 ktoe) of advanced biofuels consumed in the EU27 were made from lignocellulosic feedstock, while 36.3% (1,545 ktoe) of the advanced biofuels were made from palm oil mill effluent (POME) and 45.9% (1,956 ktoe) made from “biomass fraction of industrial waste”, thus largely waste oils and fats listed as advanced feedstock in Annex IX-A.
Whilst in the frame of RED III, the share of biofuels made from Used Cooking Oil (UCO) and category 1 & 2 animal fats (Annex IX-B feedstock) is limited to 1.7% of the energy content supplied to the transport sector, the ReFuelEU Aviation regulation allows unlimited supply of waste oils and fats as listed in RED III Annex IX-A and IX-B as well as other feedstock (e.g. category 3 animal fats), with the exception of palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), soy derived materials, and soap stocks and its derivatives.
The regulatory framework should reduce the import dependence on waste oils and fats, to facilitate the development of future proof advanced biofuels made of sustainable lignocellulosic feedstock, such as for example the introduction of a HEFA cap as found in the UK SAF mandate, or to set a RED III advanced biofuels target for advanced biofuels from lignocellulosic feedstock.
The presentation is based on results of the BioTheRos project, (Grant Agreement No. 101122212), funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme, and in particular on the Report on market dynamics of gasification and pyrolysis pathways of advanced biofuels, D6.2, forthcoming.
[1] Eurostat (2025) https://doi.org/10.2908/NRG_IND_URTD data of 2023
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