Biofuels are defined as liquid fuels for transport produced from biomass. The term Biofuel is used for the fuels Biodiesel, Bioethanol and HVO. Biofuels are typically mixed with conventional fossil fuels at various percentages, called blends. The recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (2009/28/EC) was published in December 2018 (Directive 2018/2001). This directive refers to the post 2020 framework, and contains a 14 % target for renewable energy in transport by 2030, an increase from the previous 2020 level of 10 %, with a new advanced biofuels sub-target of 3.5 %. Biofuels used for compliance with the target are required to fulfil sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions saving criteria. The greenhouse gas emissions saving from the production and use of biofuels are calculated in accordance with the methodology laid down in Part C of Annex V for biofuels.

This website provides a list of default values for common biofuel production pathways. Default value means a value derived from a typical value by the application of pre-determined factors and that may be used in place of an actual value if direct land use change does not occur. Typical value means an estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions and greenhouse gas emissions savings for a particular biofuel production pathway, which is representative of the Union consumption. As alternative, economic operators can provide their own calculations following the methodology (actual values). The previous directive already (2009/28/EC) introduced a set of sustainability criteria, including criteria protecting land with high biodiversity value and land with high-carbon stock, but did not cover the issue of indirect land-use change. Indirect land-use change occurs when the cultivation of crops for biofuels displaces traditional production of crops for food and feed purposes. Such additional demand increases the pressure on land and can lead to the extension of agricultural land into areas with high-carbon stock, such as forests, wetlands and peatland, causing additional greenhouse gas emissions. The magnitude of greenhouse gas emissions-linked indirect land- use change is capable of negating some or all greenhouse gas emissions savings of individual biofuels. While the level of greenhouse gas emissions caused by indirect land-use change cannot be unequivocally determined with the level of precision required to be included in the greenhouse gas emission calculation methodology, the highest risks of indirect land-use change have been identified for biofuels produced from feedstock for which a significant expansion of the production area into land with high-carbon stock is observed. Therefore, there is a limit of 7% for food and feed crops-based biofuels promoted under the Directive and, in addition, a requirement for Member States to set a specific and gradually decreasing limit for biofuels produced from food and feed crops for which a significant expansion of the production area into land with high-carbon stock is observed. Low indirect land-use change-risk biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuels should be exempt from the specific and gradually decreasing limit.