We broker FAME biodiesel: UCOME, RME, TME, SME and PME, across single counting, double counting and advanced ISCC grades, between producers, blenders, distributors and obligated parties. A FAME cargo is priced on three things at once: the specification (EN 14214 and the cold-flow grade), the feedstock behind the ester, and the certification that lets a blender count it. Get any one of the three wrong and the cargo does not trade at the number the seller expected.
The specification that governs
EN 14214 is the European standard for FAME as an automotive fuel. A few parameters do most of the work in a trading conversation, and the cold-flow properties are where most disputes actually start.
| Ester content | Minimum 96.5 % (m/m) under EN 14214. |
|---|---|
| CFPP (cold filter plugging point) | The grade marker. National annexes and seasonal requirements differ across Europe, this is the most common source of a rejected cargo. |
| Cloud point / pour point | Storage and handling behaviour alongside CFPP. |
| Oxidation stability | Induction period in hours; degrades in storage, so the date of the analysis matters as much as the number. |
| Monoglycerides, di- and triglycerides | Filter blocking and cold performance; monoglycerides are watched especially closely in saturated-feedstock esters. |
| Water content | Microbial growth and hydrolysis in storage. |
| Acid value | Corrosivity and feedstock quality carry-over. |
| Total contamination | Filterable solids. |
| Sulphur | Low limits; also relevant to blend compliance. |
| Iodine value | Unsaturation, tied to feedstock and to stability. |
| Group I and II metals, phosphorus | Catalyst and after-treatment impact. |
| Sterol glucosides | Not in the standard but a recognised cause of filter blocking; increasingly tested for. |
Feedstock decides more than chemistry
Note that multipliers are now member state specific under RED III. Several markets, including the Netherlands and Germany, have moved away from double counting in their national implementation, so "double counting material" no longer means the same thing everywhere. Confirm the treatment in the destination market rather than assuming the historic position.
- UCOME: from used cooking oil. Annex IX Part B feedstock, good cold-flow properties, and the most commonly traded waste-based grade.
- TME: tallow methyl ester, from animal fat. High saturated content, so poorer cold-flow behaviour and normally blended or winterised; the ABP category behind it matters for eligibility.
- RME: rapeseed methyl ester. The European crop-based benchmark, with the best cold-flow properties of the common grades and consequently the winter workhorse.
- SME: soy methyl ester. Widely available, weaker cold-flow properties than RME.
- PME: palm methyl ester. Poor cold-flow properties, restricted in several European markets, and subject to its own sustainability scrutiny.
- Advanced FAME: from Annex IX Part A feedstocks, counting against the advanced sub-target and priced accordingly.
Certification
ISCC EU is the dominant scheme, with REDcert and others also recognised. What is traded is not just the ester but the sustainability characteristics travelling with it on a proof of sustainability: the feedstock, the greenhouse-gas saving, the chain of custody.
The recurring practical problems are mundane and expensive: a certificate whose scope does not cover the actual activity, a proof of sustainability with a greenhouse-gas figure that does not match what the buyer needs to claim, or a mass balance period that does not line up with the delivery. These are worth checking before the cargo moves, not at invoice stage.
How we broker it
We work with producers placing output, blenders and distributors sourcing specific grades, and obligated parties who need a particular counting treatment rather than simply a particular product.
Because we never take title, we have no position to defend and no incentive to push a summer-grade cargo into a winter market. Where a cargo lands outside specification, and CFPP and oxidation stability are the usual culprits, see off-spec and distressed cargoes, which is a genuine speciality of ours rather than an afterthought.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum ester content under EN 14214?
96.5 % (m/m). It is one of the defining parameters of the standard. Always contract against the current version of EN 14214 and the applicable national annex, because seasonal and country-specific requirements sit on top of the base standard.
What is the difference between UCOME, RME and TME?
The feedstock. UCOME is made from used cooking oil, RME from rapeseed oil and TME from tallow. They behave differently in cold weather, RME has the best cold-flow properties of the three and TME the worst, because of its high saturated fatty acid content, and they are counted differently against renewable fuel obligations, which is often the larger part of the price difference.
Why does CFPP cause so many rejected cargoes?
Because the requirement is seasonal and national, and it moves. A cargo that is perfectly in-grade for one country in October can be out of grade in another the same week. Agree the exact CFPP requirement, the applicable national annex and the delivery window in writing, and treat a marginal figure on the certificate of analysis as a warning rather than a pass.
Does double counting still apply to FAME in the EU?
It depends on the member state. Under RED III, national implementations diverge, and several markets, including the Netherlands and Germany, have moved away from multipliers. So a grade described as "double counting" needs to be checked against the destination market's current scheme rather than against how the market worked historically.
What certification do you need to trade FAME in Europe?
ISCC EU is the most widely used voluntary scheme, with REDcert and others also recognised. Each delivery travels with a proof of sustainability carrying the feedstock, the greenhouse-gas saving and the chain of custody. Check that the certificate scope covers the actual activity and that the mass balance period lines up with the delivery.
Can you place off-spec FAME?
Yes, and it is something we are asked for regularly. Off-spec biodiesel usually has a home, reblending, winterisation, downgrading to an industrial or heating outlet, but the options narrow every day the cargo sits. Speed matters more than price discovery once demurrage and storage are running.
What parcel sizes do you work with?
From road tanker and ISO tank lots up to full barge and coaster parcels. The practical minimum is usually set by freight economics into the specific destination rather than by any rule of ours.
Who to ask about Biodiesel & FAME
Ask us. Product to place or a specific grade to source? Tell us the feedstock, the CFPP and the certification. We answer the same working day, in English or Dutch, and there is no charge and no obligation for a market read or a second opinion on a specification.
You get Bart van den Brug directly, not a call centre and not a form that goes nowhere. We are an independent broker: we never take title, we do not trade our own book, and we are paid a commission only on business that actually concludes. That is why we will also tell you when the answer is no.
+31 6 115 83 448
[email protected]
Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V., Lemmer, the Netherlands
Last reviewed 09 August 2026 by Bart van den Brug, Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V. (KvK 99665042), Lemmer, the Netherlands. Regulatory references are given for orientation and are not legal advice; verify against the current Official Journal text before contracting.