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RSB is pleased to announce the release of the latest version of the RSB Book & Claim Manual (Version 4.0), introducing updates to drive greater clarity, flexibility, and integrity in sustainable fuel transactions for hard-to-abate sectors like aviation and shipping.
This new version includes enhanced definitions and account structures in the RSB Book & Claim Registry, clearer processes for co-processed fuels, stronger traceability measures, and improved guidance for regulatory interfaces. Key updates, such as flexible scope retirement options and refined additionality criteria, ensure the system remains at the forefront of fostering real-world impact while expanding market participation and safeguarding credibility.
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Strengthening a credible path to decarbonisation
The RSB Book & Claim System provides a trusted and third-party verified mechanism for tracking the sustainability attributes of bio-based and circular fuels without requiring a direct physical connection between producers and end-users.
This model is needed in order to overcome geographical and logistical constraints in hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation and maritime transport, where sustainable fuel supply remains limited to a few physical locations and supply chains are still developing.
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Version 4.0 of the manual was developed through extensive multi-stakeholder consultation with 154 RSB Book & Claim Platform participants representing 81 organisations.
22 of these organisations actively contributed to the consultation, and 3 participated in detailed industry pilots. This version, therefore, reflects the latest regulatory developments and industry best practices, ensuring a trusted framework for sustainable fuel markets.
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Key updates in Version 4.0
- Enhanced clarity on account roles: New definitions and structure for account roles in the RSB Registry, including suppliers, intermediaries, transport service providers, logistics service providers, corporate end-users, and facilitators to improve registry usability and market participation.
- Inclusion of co-processed fuels: Updates to Section 2.4.1 ensure that co-processed fuels can now be registered in the system, providing new opportunities for expanding sustainable fuel uptake.
- Stronger measures to enhance traceability: Enhancements in Sections 2.6 – 2.8 introduce a time limit for Book & Claim Unit (BCU) registration, ensuring real-time traceability.
- Enhanced clarity on regulatory interfaces: The manual now provides explicit guidance on managing fuel transitions from the Union Database for Biofuels and other systems used for regulatory compliance, strengthening credibility and safeguarding against double counting.
- Flexible scope retirement options: Updates to Section 4 introduce Flexible Scope Retirement, allowing multiple claimants of the same Book and Claim Units to issue retirement statements at different times.
- Refined additionality criteria: Section 7 refines the requirements for additionality, ensuring that Book & Claim transactions genuinely drive new investment in sustainable fuels rather than displacing existing compliance-driven supply.
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Driving market confidence in sustainable aviation and shipping
With the adoption of Version 4.0, the RSB Book & Claim System continues to be recognised as a leading approach for tracking and claiming sustainability attributes of bio-based fuels, aligning with international best practices to ensure credibility and impact.
These updates reinforce RSB’s commitment to developing robust and transparent mechanisms that accelerate sector transformation towards a sustainable bioeconomy.
“The publication of Version 4.0 of the RSB Book & Claim Manual marks a significant step forward in ensuring that sustainable fuels can be scaled in hard-to-abate sectors with integrity and impact. Thanks to the support and invaluable input of our multi-stakeholder community, these updates reflect the potential and promise of book and claim – reinforcing RSB’s leadership in credible sustainability solutions.”
– Max Eichelbaum, RSB’s Associate Director of Digital Solutions and Book & Claim
For more details, read the full RSB Book & Claim Manual Version 4.0 or discover how your organisation can participate in the RSB Book & Claim System by contacting RSB’s Book & Claim Manager at gill.alker@rsb.org.
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If you’re looking to learn more about book and claim, consider taking the RSB Academy’s online course on Chain of Custody. This course will provide you and your organisation with the insight and understanding of Chain of Custody systems, covering the mass balance and book and claim approaches, especially in the context of the RSB Book & Claim System.
