Biofuel quota (obligo di immisione)

• DM 02/03/2018
• DM 10/10/2014
• DM 30/12/2020

In 2006, the quota “obbligo di immissione” was introduced to reduce CO2 emissions in the transport sector. This scheme defines the share of biofuels that suppliers need to include in their fuel supply to the transport sector. Producers of biofuels are assigned Immission Certificates (‘Certificati di immissione in consumo’ or CIC) which can be used by authorities to verify compliance with the obligation. One CIC is assigned for each 10 Gigacalories (Gcal) of conventional biofuels supplied and for each 5 Gcal of advanced biofuels (defined in Annex 3, and Art. 11.1, j, DM 02/03/2018). Transport fuel suppliers, who do not reach the biofuel quota can buy those certificates on a dedicated trading platform. There is a penalty of €750 per missing certificate for suppliers that do not comply with the mandate. The scheme is currently applicable until 2022.

The quota is calculated with the formulas laid out in Art.1,4 DM 30/12/2020. For the period from 2015-2022 the following quotas are foreseen (Art.1, DM 30/12/2020):
• 2015: 5% biofuels, of which 0% advanced biofuels
• 2016: 5.5% biofuels, of which 0% advanced biofuels
• 2017: 6.5 % biofuels, of which 0% advanced biofuels
• 2018: 7% biofuels, of which 0.6% advanced biofuels
• 2019: 8% biofuels, of which 0.8% advanced biofuels
• 2020: 9% biofuels, of which at least 0.9% of advanced biofuels
• From 2021: 10% biofuels, of which at least 2.0% of advanced biofuels
Following 2021, only the shared percentual of advanced biofuel is prescribed as the rest will need to be recalculated: (DM 30/12/2020):
• 2022: 2.5% of advanced biofuels
• 2023: 3.0% of advanced biofuels
The quota for advanced biofuels is divided into two sub-categories (Art.11.1 f, DM 30/12/2020):
• advanced biomethane (75%)
• other advanced biofuels (25%).
One certificate attests 10 Gcal of biofuel or 5 Gcal of advanced biofuels.
Under certain conditions biofuel producers are entitled to receive more certificates than they would receive based on the amount of Gigacalories (“maggiorazioni”) (DM 02.03.2018).

Biofuel suppliers to the transport sector

The process of verification of the biofuel quota works as follows:
By 31 January of each year, the obligated parties communicate to the competent authority the total amount of gasoline, diesel, biofuels and advanced biofuels fed in the system in the previous year and the share of biofuels they are to feed in the system in the current year (Art. 4.1, DM 10/10/2014).
From 1 to 31 October of each year, the competent authority verifies the amounts corresponding to the certificates with the information received by 31 January and verifies compliance to the obligation (Art. 7.2, DM 10/10/2014).
Access of biofuel producers to certificates:
First the producer needs to request to be qualified through the portal of GSE providing information defined in Art. 9, DM 02/03/2018 not later than one year after entry into operation. GSE evaluates the request of qualification within 120 days (Art. 9.3, DM 02/03/2018).
If the producers are qualified, GSE issues the CICs on a monthly basis in accordance with the procedures established by the GSE no later than 90 days after the end of the month to which the CIC refers. (Art. 5.1, DM 02/03/2018).

MiTE