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EU voluntary certification schemes play an important role in proving that renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) are sustainable. The European Commission has approved several certification systems for RFNBO and hydrogen and its derivatives, including CertifHy EU, ISCC EU, and REDcert EU. All three systems meet the basic requirements for proving sustainability. These include reducing greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fuels and using electricity from renewable sources to produce RFNBO.

Additional requirements for power purchase agreements

“The topic of RFNBO-compliant electricity sourcing is still completely new territory for most RFNBO producers and electricity suppliers,” says Michael Landspersky, environmental verifier and lead auditor in the Carbon Management Service department at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. There are currently no standardized templates for the corresponding power purchase agreements (PPAs), but there are some basic requirements that must be met:

• clear specification of the specific power generation plants,
• no clauses on the undeclared replacement of electricity generation installations,
• regulation of the delivery and cancellation of Guarantees of Origin (GO), and
• regulation of the monthly provision of load profiles for network feed-in information.

According to Landspersky, verifying electricity supplied via the grid is not particularly complex, whereas verifying direct supplies without the use of the public grid can be significantly more complicated, at least in the initial stages.

Certification body for RFNBO

Michael Landspersky strongly advises companies to allow sufficient time for the introduction of a certifiable system. According to the TÜV SÜD expert, this process takes at least three to six months, provided the necessary resources are made available. A pre-audit can help companies to assess whether their preparations are sufficient or if there are any gaps that need to be filled.

In March 2025, TÜV SÜD was recognized by the German Federal Environment Agency as a certification body for RFNBO and has since completed 19 certifications of producers and traders according to CertifHy EU, ISCC EU, and REDcert EU in Germany, Austria, France, and Denmark. “This makes us the market leader in RFNBO certifications,” emphasizes Landspersky. Further certifications for additional projects in Germany, Italy, and Sweden are already in preparation.

Important decision-making aids for investors

“We owe our outstanding position in the market to our many years of experience in the field of green hydrogen certification,” says Landspersky. The TÜV SÜD standard CMS 70 for GreenHydrogen was introduced as early as 2011 and has been continuously adapted to current developments ever since. In addition, TÜV SÜD has gained extensive experience in evaluating a wide variety of technical and supply chain configurations in regions that are initiating projects today to position themselves as the global energy suppliers of tomorrow. This experience was gained through its involvement in pre-certifications already under the drafts of the EU voluntary schemes, and in regions such as Canada, the Middle East, North Africa and India. Landspersky: “We often find that our pre-certifications and critical reviews play an important role in helping investors make decisions.”

Further information on TÜV SÜD’s services in the field of energy certification is available at tuvsud.com/en-us/themes/hydrogen/hydrogen-services-that-enable-safety-for-your-ideas/green-hydrogen-certification.