Leading in RFNBO certification

The leading position of Normec in Hydrogen & RFNBO certification

The market has been awaiting official recognition of certification schemes for Hydrogen, also known as Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO), by the European Commission (EC). Normec has been actively anticipating this recognition and is already engaged in verification and certification of Hydrogen & RFNB in several countries. Normec QS in The Netherlands, Normec Zertifizierung in Germany and Normec Verifavia in France have all been working on Hydrogen & RFNBO verification and certification in their own way over the past few years. They collaborate and share their knowledge within the Normec Verification & Compliance Service Line, led by Iljo Fluit as Managing Director.

Living up to your sustainability claim

Companies that produce or work with Hydrogen and RFNBOs are focused on sustainability. However, there is a difference between simply claiming or believing that you are helping the environment and actually proving it. RFNBO certification enables Normec clients to prove that they are meeting their sustainability commitments and complying with European regulation.

The EC provides guidelines on when Hydrogen and RFNBO can be classified as renewable. With an official certification scheme like ISCC or REDcert, Normec can verify and confirm whether or not the product classifies as renewable. This ensures, for example, that its origins can be traced back to electrolysis powered by solar or wind energy rather than fossil fuels. Normec companies in several countries are already frontrunners in this field.

The Netherlands: Normec QS

Normec QS was the first verifier in The Netherlands to officially receive accreditation for verification of HBE entries (Renewable Fuel Units) for Hydrogen. They also conducted a pilot with the Dutch government on RFNBO certification to assess how the certification schemes would function in actual daily practice. Now that the certification schemes for RFNBO are officially recognized by the EC, Normec QS already has years of experience with the certification schemes and process.

Jorn Bronsvoort, Technical Director at Normec QS: “When it comes to RFNBO certification, we apply ISCC EU. This certification scheme is intended for renewable fuels and energy in the EU and is recognised by the European Commission (EC) for the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). During an audit we assess origin and traceability, mass balance, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental requirements. This way, we offer our clients complete traceability.”

France: Normec Verifavia

In France, Normec Verifavia is a recognised leader in environmental claim validation and verification compliance across various transportation sectors, including maritime, aviation, airports, rail and road transport. Additionally, they are involved in diverse sustainability initiatives such as recycling, carbon insetting, and offsetting.

Nicolas Duchêne, Managing Director at Normec Verifavia: “Our assurance audits have attracted clients from all over the world who need trust and confidence in their RFNBO usage – from certification and emissions reduction to accurate impact measurement. We continuously adapt our verification services to regulatory changes and emerging voluntary requirements. Whether it is for a single vessel or for an entire fleet, we always tailor our services to evolving client demands.”

“In 2022 one of our airline clients requested the validation and verification of their sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) management program and the associated environmental attributes. This was new to us at the time, and we invested significant resources to develop this expertise, which has since become the foundation of our sustainability practice. One of our four business units is now completely dedicated to sustainability initiatives, including the audit of low-carbon interventions across all transport modes. We provide clients with formal assurance statements quantifying the carbon emission reductions achieved by transitioning from fossil fuel and the low-carbon fuel alternatives.”

Contact our experts directly

Would you like to learn more about RFNBO certification and its possibilities for your company? Our experts are happy to discuss your needs. You can contact them directly:

Normec QS

• Jorn Bronsvoort – Technical Director jorn.bronsvoort@normecgroup.com

• Aart van Steenbergen – Commercial Manager aart.van.steenbergen@normecgroup.com

Normec Verifavia

• Nicolas Duchêne – President nicolas.duchene@normecgroup.com

Normec Zertifizierung

• Dipl.-Ing. Carmen Jeddeloh – Managing Director carmen.jeddeloh@normecgroup.com