The RFA is determined to encourage the use of sustainable biofuels. Under the RTFO suppliers are required to report on the carbon emission savings and sustainability of the biofuels they have supplied. Suppliers that do not submit a report will not be eligible for RTFO certificates; suppliers will however at this stage be able to report unknown biofuel origins, carbon savings and sustainability, in recognition of the difficulty of obtaining this information in the context of existing supply systems. It is unlikely that reporting 'unknown' will remain acceptable as the system moves to mandatory sustainability standards in the future. The RFA will publish reports comparing the performance of different suppliers and the biofuels they have supplied, and expect consumers to be interested in using these comparisons to inform purchasing choices.
Fuel suppliers have been given a detailed methodology for calculating the carbon savings of a variety of biofuels and there is a meta-standard approach to sustainability reporting by which fuel suppliers can report and provide evidence that they meet a benchmarked list of existing agro / environmental standards.
For further information on how the RFA is ensuring biofuels come from sustainable sources, please see our Guidance for Biofuel Suppliers.