European Parliament Will Continue to Recognise Primary Woody Biomass as a Renewable Energy Source

(Bioenergy Insight) The European Parliament voted today (14 September) to recognise primary woody biomass as a renewable energy source. This is consistent with its prior classification under both the first Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and RED II.
Primary woody biomass is an essential renewable energy source for meeting the ambition sought by the EU Parliament to increase renewable energy to 45 percent by 2030, and for achieving the EU’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.

Markus Pieper, Member of Parliament leading on RED III, said: “One thing is clear: wood-based biomass is a building block of the energy transition and, despite the vote of left-green Members of the European Parliament, can still be counted as renewable energy. The new directive will set the necessary framework to achieve the greatest possible CO2 reduction effect and not to ensure that our forests are burned in the future. I am counting on the member states to follow our proposals as the procedure progresses (“trilogue”)."

"We still have problems with regard to the definition of secondary and primary biomass. The criteria from the Committee we feel would limit the availability of biomass.

Answering questions on secondary and primary biomasses, he acknowledged that many do not understand why tree stumps could not be used for renewable energy seeing as there is no ecological damage there. He said we will be looking at this, and said we need a clear definition regarding primary and secondary biomasses, which have previously been "too restrictive", but that they will seek to address this at the next plenary.

Enviva, one of the world’s leading producers of sustainably sourced woody biomass, welcomed the designation, saying it marks a critical step in the right direction toward more low-carbon, drop-in alternatives to fossil fuels for power and heat generation, as part of an all-in renewables strategy to reduce carbon emissions and limit global dependence on fossil fuels.

However, Bioenergy Europe said the lack of support for primary woody biomass was "concerning" - "this new measure will make bioenergy from primary woody biomass the only renewable source not eligible for support, creating an uneven playing field with other solutions, and this is not acceptable," it commented. READ MORE

Excerpt from Biomass Magazine/Enviva: Enviva Inc., the world’s leading producer of sustainably sourced woody biomass, on Jan. 5 issued the following statement regarding the Dutch Parliament’s motion on sustainably sourced biomass.

Enviva fully supports the principle that financial assistance should only be provided for woody biomass that is sourced sustainably. As a U.S. producer and exporter of wood pellets, complying with all applicable rules and regulations in the markets we operate in is critical to our business. The Netherlands is no exception. The motion passed in Dutch Parliament in mid-December 2022 requests that the Dutch government ensure that subsidies are not awarded to parties that do not comply with sustainability criteria through proper certification. Enviva is in full compliance with the sustainability criteria, which requires extensive independent auditing and certification. Therefore, we do not expect any adverse economic impact on Enviva.

“We have the utmost confidence that the wood pellets we deliver into the Netherlands meet the Dutch sustainability criteria,” said Thomas Meth, president and CEO of Enviva. “Enviva’s production is certified by the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP), annually audited, and has always complied with the Dutch Ministry of Climate’s sustainability criteria.”

On the domestic front, President Biden recently signed into law a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill that recognizes forest bioenergy as a renewable energy source, declares it carbon neutral provided the use of forest biomass for energy production does not cause conversion of forests to non-forest use, and directs federal agencies to “recognize the full benefits of the use of forest biomass for energy, conservation, and responsible forest management.” The legislation further complements the U.S. government’s investment in and support for energy security and climate change resources, as previously seen in the passage of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which utilizes investments and tax credits to incentivize the deployment of wind, solar, and other renewable power sources, including sustainably sourced biomass.

As expressed by a spokesperson for Senate Appropriations Committee member Sen. Susan Collins, “Recognizing the carbon neutrality of biomass not only aligns with the science, but also encourages investments in working forests, harvesting operations, bioenergy, wood products, and paper manufacturing.”