Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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14. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government for an update on the commitment in the Programme for Government to ”Improve traceability in HVO procurement to ensure the product is from sustainable sources”; the progress made to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39897/25]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a bioliquid which can be used as a renewable energy and which, in a transport context, is classified as a biofuel. HVO is currently available for consumers to purchase for use for both transport and heating.

The National Heat Study, published by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), contains detailed analysis that is being used to inform the development of options, policies and measures to decarbonise Ireland’s heating and cooling sectors by 2050. The study considered a number of potential decarbonisation options for a wide range of dwellings and business premises. This included the use of liquid biofuels such as HVO, solid biomass, biogases and other technologies such as heat pumps and district heating networks.

As part of the Government Decision (S180/20/10/2704) adopting sectoral emissions ceilings, it was agreed to introduce a Renewable Heat Obligation (RHO) to ensure the increased use of renewable fuel types across the full heating sector, with the primary aim of supporting the achievement of Ireland's heating and cooling targets at EU level. Under current proposals, the RHO will obligate suppliers of all fossil fuels used for heating purposes to ensure a proportion of the energy they supply is renewable. As such, all renewable fuels, including bioliquids used for heat that satisfy the sustainability criteria of the Renewable Energy Directive, will be considered eligible for certification under the scheme. My Department is now preparing the RHO Heads of Bill for submission to Government and, once approved by Government, drafting of the RHO primary legislation will commence.

An Expert Group on Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels has been set up by the Directorate-General for Energy in the EU Commission to create a Union Database to monitor and trace the raw materials used for low carbon fuel production. Representatives from my Department and the SEAI participate in the Group.