Relevant regional, national and international rules and regulations


Brazilian Agroenergy Plan 2006 – 2011
Current bioenergy policies in Brazil are guided by the Federal Government’s Agroenergy Policy Guidelines, prepared by an interministerial team. Linked to the overall policy of the Federal Government, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply has prepared a programme to meet the bioenergy needs of the country.
The goal of the Brazilian Agroenergy Plan 2006–2011 is to ensure the competitiveness of Brazilian agribusiness and support specific public policies, such as social inclusion, regional development and environmental sustainability.

Directive 2009/28/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 April 2009 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources
The Directive is part of a package of energy and climate change legislation which provides a legislative framework for Community targets for greenhouse gas emission savings. It encourages energy efficiency, energy consumption from renewable sources, the improvement of energy supply and the economic stimulation of a dynamic sector in which Europe is setting an example.
This Directive establishes a common framework for the use of energy from renewable sources in order to limit greenhouse gas emissions and to promote cleaner transport. To this end, national action plans are defined, as are procedures for the use of biofuels.

Act on Special Measures for the Promotion of New Energy Use (JAPAN)
The act lays down policy measures for promoting the following: biomass energy, energy from water sources, solar thermal energy, heat generation from snow/ice, geothermal energy, wind power and solar power.

Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) (USA)
The RFS program was created under the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005, and established the first renewable fuel volume mandate in the United States. As required under EPAct, the original RFS program (RFS1) required 7.5 billion gallons of renewable fuel to be blended into gasoline by 2012. Under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, the RFS program was expanded in several key ways and the new RFS2 lays the foundation for achieving significant reductions of greenhouse gas emissions from the use of renewable fuels, for reducing imported petroleum, and encouraging the development and expansion of the nation's renewable fuels sector.

The Law of Renewable Energy Resources of China
Provides the legal framework for the promotion and development of renewable energy. The use of renewable energy sources has gained widespread support from the PRC government. 
Pursuant to the Law of Renewable Energy Resources, which came into effect on January 1, 2006, the PRC government encourages the manufacturing and application of bioliquid fuel and mandates petroleum-selling enterprises to include bioliquid fuel that meets the PRC national standards into their fuel-selling systems.

The Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) (UK)
The Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), requires suppliers of fossil fuels to ensure that a specified percentage of the road fuels they supply in the UK is made up of renewable fuels. The target for 2009/10 is 3.25% by volume.

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