CSA TS-005:25

Preface This is the first edition of CSA TS-005, Bioeconomy development opportunity (BDO) zone assessment. CSA Group acknowledges that the development of this Technical Specification was made possible, in part, by the financial support of Natural Resources Canada — Canadian Forest Service (NRCan-CFS). CSA Group also recognizes the contributions of the BDO Zone Initiative and Ecostrat Inc. This Technical Specification (referred to as "this Document" from here on) was prepared by the Technical Committee on Biomass Supply Chain Risk, under the jurisdiction of the Strategic Steering Committee for Natural Resources, and has been formally reviewed by the Technical Committee. Scope 1.1 General This Document provides a clear framework for issuers to accelerate and de-risk biomanufacturing project development in specific geographic regions. It guides issuers in conducting technical and geographic evaluations of BDO zones, comprehensively assessing supply chain and infrastructure risks to achieve this goal. This Document is organized into two risk categories (supply chain risk and infrastructure risk) that are foundational to two key project developer questions: a) What is the supply chain risk? b) What is the infrastructure risk for a new entrant locating in a particular region? Each risk category identifies specific risk factors (i.e., the itemized risk elements within each category) and risk indicators (i.e., the markers of risk for each factor), and establishes guidance to point issuers to the best available methods and tools available to measure and mitigate risks (see Figure 1). 1.2 Guidance for use of CSA W209 This Document is intended to provide a framework and guidance document for the use of CSA W209 to assess the regional readiness of geographical areas for biomanufacturing. CSA W209 enables more accurate quantification of biomass supply chain risk for biomanufacturing projects, while this Document enables more accurate quantification of supply chain and infrastructure risk for geographic regions. CSA W209 serves as a due diligence tool to support the financing of biomanufacturing projects. This Document complements this by acting as an economic development tool that enhances decision-making for site locations, benefiting project developers and governments by enabling faster and more informed choices. By achieving these objectives, this Document enables the creation of a comprehensive network of rated BDO zones, facilitating informed decision-making for biobased developers and investors, and catalyzing the growth of the bioeconomy. 1.3 Terminology In this Document, "shall" is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the Document; "should" is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and "may" is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the Document. Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material. Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements. Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (non-mandatory) to define their application.