RFNBO and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Precertification
Get ready for successful certification with RFNBO and low-carbon hydrogen precertification under the CertifHy EU Voluntary Scheme. This official preparation service is available for both the RFNBO scope and the Low-Carbon scope. It serves as a full dry run and certification pre-compliance exercise, helping projects identify gaps early and build a strong foundation for full certification and Proof of Sustainability (PoS) issuance.
What is Precertification?
Precertification is the official preparatory service of the CertifHy EU Voluntary Scheme for RFNBO and Low-Carbon Hydrogen projects. It combines a formal compliance audit by a recognized Certification Body with expert advisory support.
Ideally performed during the Pre-FEED or FEED stage, precertification enables projects to integrate RFNBO or Low-Carbon requirements from the design phase, avoid costly retrofits, and enter the full certification process with confidence.
Why Undergo RFNBO and Low-Carbon Hydrogen Precertification?
Precertification delivers clear advantages for project bankability and execution:
See how RFNBO precertification is applied in practice in our recorded webinar.
Internal Benefits
Refined Roadmap: Precertification insights help guide adjustments to your plant development plan.
Proactive Policy Engagement: Facilitates the identification of critical areas and action to address policy gaps.
Aligned Stakeholders: Facilitate internal buy-in and understanding of the certification process.
Compliance-Ready Teams: Equip operational and technical teams for success.
External Benefits
Investor Confidence: Showcase commitment to RED-compliant RFNBO production under the CertifHy EU Voluntary Scheme.
Secured Funding: Strengthen applications for investments and public funding.
Commercial Advantage: Secure contracts by demonstrating commitment to RFNBO or Low-Carbon certification.
Supplier Support: Share best practices to help suppliers achieve their own certification.
When Should Projects Start?
To ensure meaningful and reliable results, CertifHy RFNBO Precertification is only available to projects that have reached a minimum level of maturity.
- Finalized Pre-FEED or later (e.g., FEED): Projects at this stage are eligible automatically (requires submission of a signed Pre-FEED study).
- Started Pre-FEED: Projects at this stage may require written confirmation before moving forward. Contact for eligibility verification is advised.
- Below Pre-FEED: Projects at this stage are not eligible at this time.
These thresholds ensure that a project is mature enough to provide reliable information and benefit fully from the process.
What You Receive
A CertifHy RFNBO Precertification equips projects with essential tools for a smoother RFNBO certification journey. These deliverables provide valuable insights and a roadmap for success:
- Precertification Report: A credibility-enhancing report that outlines a project’s strengths and potential compliance gaps. This is a useful asset for investors and offtakers.
- Audit Report from a Certification Body: An official review of a project’s alignment with RED criteria, structured to reflect the final certification audit.
- Auditor Checklist: A detailed breakdown of how compliance was assessed across each requirement — useful for guiding future improvements.
- Practical Recommendations: Concrete suggestions to help a project move toward full certification with confidence.
These tangible deliverables provide valuable insights into the certification process and data requirements. This empowers projects to make informed decisions and streamline their path towards full certification.
By participating in precertification, projects gain a strategic advantage and a clear path towards achieving full CertifHy EU Voluntary Scheme certification.
These precertification outcomes have been applied in practice on multiple occasions, including through the RFNBO precertification pilot supporting the Belgian Federal Government’s RFNBO framework, the precertification of AM Green’s green ammonia project in Kakinada, India, and the precertification of two large-scale renewable hydrogen projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (Exploits Valley Renewable Energy Corporation (EVREC) and World Energy GH2’s Project Nujio’qonik).
Audit vs. Precertification: What’s the Difference?
It’s important to understand how a CertifHy Audit differs from a CertifHy Precertification, so the scope of each service is clear:
About the CertifHy Audit Statement
The CertifHy Audit Statement is issued at the end of a CertifHy RFNBO Audit performed as a stand-alone activity. It serves as formal confirmation that the audit has been carried out in accordance with CertifHy requirements and is approved by CertifHy.
A CertifHy RFNBO Audit can be performed on its own, but it primarily confirms the current level of compliance. Precertification goes further — combining the audit with practical advice to help bridge any gaps before full certification.
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