Directive (EU) 2018/2001 (consolidated version as of 16 July 2024)
RED III, adopted in 2023, is the latest revision of the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive, replacing RED II and aligning with the European Green Deal and Fit for 55 climate package. It sets more ambitious, legally binding targets for renewable energy use across sectors including transport, industry, heating and cooling, and electricity. The directive aims for a 42.5% share of renewables in gross final energy consumption by 2030, with a stretch goal of 45%.
In the transport sector, RED III raises the renewable energy target from 14% to 29% by 2030, with a minimum 5.5% share for advanced biofuels and renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs). It also expands coverage to aviation and maritime transport. For industry, RED III mandates a 1.6% annual increase in renewable energy use and requires 42% of hydrogen used to be renewable by 2030. In buildings, 49% of HVAC energy must come from renewables.
RED III enforces stricter sustainability and GHG savings criteria, lowers the monitoring threshold for installations from 20 MW to 5 MW, and introduces streamlined permitting for renewable energy projects, recognizing them as of overriding public interest.
Relevance to bio-waste and/or circular bioeconomy:
RED III supports the circular bioeconomy by prioritizing advanced biofuels derived from bio-waste and residues, rather than food or feed crops. It promotes the use of renewable fuels with verified sustainability and traceability, encouraging innovation in biomass valorization and waste-to-energy technologies. By tightening GHG savings thresholds and expanding sectoral targets, RED III drives demand for bio-based solutions, helping close resource loops and reduce fossil fuel dependency.
EU (EEA relevance)
Consolidated text: Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (recast) (Text with EEA relevance)
Publication date: 2018 (consolidated 2024)
Instrument type: Directive
Binding for EU MS: Yes
Keywords: RED III, renewable energy, advanced biofuels, circular bioeconomy, bio-waste, RFNBOs, sustainability criteria, GHG savings, energy transition, Fit for 55