The raw materials for biodiesel must meet sustainability requirements:
In order to protect forests worldwide, raw materials for biodiesel may not be grown on land that has been deforested after 2008. Peat soils and protected areas must also be preserved. This is checked annually by certification bodies. This means that the existing agricultural area has to be mainly used and that the yields per hectare have to be increased in order to meet the increasing demand.
The cultivation of agricultural crops for specific biofuels should also not lead to an expansion of agricultural land at a completely different place in the world agricultural system. This is called Indirect Land Use Change (ILUC). All this is regulated by the European Union.
Palm oil
The European Commission has investigated which raw materials the global growth (not only through biofuels) leads to a change in land use (eg deforestation). The Commission concludes that this is currently only the case for palm oil, which carries a high risk of indirect land use change.
The use of raw materials with a high risk of indirect land use change should not grow compared to the admixture in 2019. Between 2023 and 2030, their use should even be completely phased out. After 2030, only raw materials may be used that have been shown not to lead to indirect land use change.
