Measuring % Biogenic Carbon versus % Fossil Carbon in waste-derived fuels
Waste-derived fuels have biomass-derived portions (e.g. paper, wood) and fossil-based components (e.g. plastics). Examples of waste-derived fuels include municipal solid waste (MSW), refuse-derived fuel (RDF), tire-derived fuel (TDF) and sewage sludge.
Biogenic carbon testing uses Carbon-14 technology. Since carbon-14 is only present in living or recently expired material, Carbon-14 testing using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) is the most effective method to determine the percentage of biogenic vs. fossil-derived carbon in these alternative fuels. This is of particular value to energy-intensive industries that use these wastes as substitutes to fossil fuels.
What does “biogenic” mean?
Biogenic means containing carbon (organic and inorganic) of renewable origin like agricultural, plant, animal, fungi, microorganisms, macroorganisms, marine, or forestry materials, according to the ASTM D6866-22 analytical standard.
For reliable, accurate and fast biogenic testing solutions, choose Beta Analytic.
California’s SB32 regulation – allows fuel sampling as an alternative to emissions sampling
EU Emissions Trading Scheme – recommends EN ISO 21644:2021 for solid recovered fuels
Carbon-14 Analysis vs. Selective Dissolution Method
Page last updated: January 2024
