WBA responds to ISCC Mass Balance Guidance Consultation
The World Biogas Association (WBA) on Tuesday 17th March, submitted its response the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS Mass Balance Guidance consultation. ISCC PLUS is a voluntary certification scheme designed to validate the sustainability characteristics of alternative feedstocks for plastics and chemicals, food and feed markets, and biofuels outside the regulated European Union and the UK markets (global). It plays a key role in biomethane trading across borders.
The Proposed Guidance does not outline general requirements and detailed definitions related to the mass balance system for biogas, biomethane, e-methane (synthetic methane) or biogenic carbon dioxide (bio-CO2) despite their increasing relevance as sustainable materials and alternative feedstocks in low-carbon value chains.
WBA responded to the consultation highlighting that the Proposed Guidance lacks clear definitions, general requirements and examples for biogases considered as sustainable materials. The absence of explicit treatment of these materials may create uncertainty for economic operators and could unintentionally limit market access for certified gaseous renewable products.
Existing ISCC system documents already recognise the applicability of mass balance to gaseous renewable fuels – ISCC EU 203-02 Mass Balance Guidance and ISCC PLUS System Document. As such, WBA emphasised to ISCC that given the growing importance of renewable gases in energy and industrial decarbonisation strategies, biogases should be included before the Proposed Guidance is finalised and published.
We would like to thank all members who contributed to this process.
WBA responds to SBTi Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard Consultation
The World Biogas Association (WBA) on Friday 20th March, submitted its response to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard consultation. The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Automotive Sector Net-Zero Standard is a new framework designed to help automakers and auto parts manufacturers set science-based targets for emissions reduction. This consultation represents an important milestone in shaping how emissions are accounted for within the automotive sector, particularly in relation to fuel pathways and Scope 3 use-phase emissions.
The main implication for the biomethane industry stems from the proposal to change default emission factors for renewable natural gas (RNG), derived from specific feedstocks, from negative emission factors to zero. This was a stance we felt risked excluding methane abatement benefits that are central to many AD systems. Given the growing influence of SBTi standards, now used by over 10,000 companies globally in their target setting, the WBA felt it important to respond as decisions taken within this framework have the potential to shape not only automotive decarbonisation strategies, but also wider corporate climate accounting approaches.
In response, WBA developed a draft position focused on ensuring that lifecycle emissions accounting accurately reflects methane mitigation. We highlighted that avoided methane emissions are measurable, material, and already recognised within established frameworks such as the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard. At the same time, we acknowledged the importance of maintaining credibility and avoiding over-claiming.
This draft was shared with WBA members for consultation, and we are grateful to all those who took the time to provide detailed and constructive feedback. Member input played a critical role in strengthening the final submission. While many responses supported a strong recognition of negative emissions, feedback also emphasised the need for robust safeguards and careful treatment of methodological uncertainties.
As a result, the final WBA response adopts a balanced position. We supported the use of negative emissions factors and conditional recognition of methane abatement where it can be demonstrated through robust, evidence-based and verifiable methodologies, rather than broad or assumed counterfactual scenarios. This includes the use of jurisdiction-specific baselines, conservative lifecycle modelling, and strengthened monitoring and verification requirements. We also highlighted the importance of avoiding unintended consequences and ensuring that accounting frameworks do not incentivise undesirable outcomes.
In addition, WBA raised broader concerns that the draft standard risks prioritising zero tailpipe emissions over full lifecycle climate impact. We encouraged SBTi to strengthen lifecycle metrics to ensure that all decarbonisation solutions, including waste-derived biomethane, can contribute meaningfully.
It is important to note that even if default emission factors for RNG are set to zero, biomethane would remain one of the most advantageous fuels numerically within the standard. Companies would still be able to claim lower lifecycle emissions as long as they provide transparent, third-party verified, lifecycle assessment data demonstrating additional climate benefits. We anticipate inclusion of biomethane in the standard will still stimulate growth in the industry through its recognition for the first time in the SBTi as a method for reducing emissions, offering clear methodological guidance for its use in Scope 3 accounting within the automotive sector.
We would like to thank all members who contributed to this process. Your insights were invaluable in ensuring that our final submission reflects both scientific rigour and the collective expertise of the global biogas industry.