BackgroundThe EU has committed to reaching climate neutrality by 2050 in order to secure a liveable future on our continent and our planet. The first and most urgent priority is the reduction of EU greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but at the same time the EU needs to compensate for residual emissions that cannot be eliminated – by removing carbon from the atmosphere to decrease the...
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BackgroundSustainability is a core value of bioenergy. At the European level today, sustainability in bioenergy is guaranteed through the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Bioenergy is the first energy source to have legally binding sustainability criteria, ensuring that all biomass, regardless of origin, being used in the EU for bioenergy, is sustainability produced. This means that soil quality and biodiversity are protected; for woody biomass, it...
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BackgroundBuildings are responsible for 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO₂ emissions in the EU. When looking at the age of the heating stock in buildings, one out of every four systems having been installed before 1992. It is vital that we modernise the existing building and heating stock, making it energy efficient and renewable. This is not only important for keeping temperature levels...
Read MoreBackgroundThe bioeconomy englobes the production of renewable biological resources and the conversion of these resources and waste streams into bio-based products and bioenergy.In 2012, the Commission published the first bio-economy strategy with five main objectives: ensuring food security, managing natural resource sustainably, reducing dependence on non-renewable resources, mitigating and adapting to climate change, creating jobs and maintaining EU competitiveness. An updated bioeconomy strategy has been...
Read MoreBackground In the framework of the Clean Air Programme (2013), the European Commission has established a series of measures to improve EU’s air quality. Some measures should be taken at national level (NEC Directive) and some measures are taken at EU level (limitation of emissions through the ecodesign regulations, Medium Combustion Plants Directive and Industrial Emissions Directive). The role of bioenergy At national level, the new National Emissions Ceilings...
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BackgroundForestry is a national competence even though EU environmental, agricultural and energy policies do concern forestry.In 2013, the EU institutions adopted the EU Timber Regulation which prohibits illegally harvested timber, and products derived from such timber, from entering the EU market. In order to harmonise with legislation that governs timber from outside the EU, the EU is in the process of adopting the EU Deforestation...
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BackgroundAgriculture is an area in which competence is shared between the European Union (EU) and EU Member States. The bioenergy and agricultural sectors are closely intertwined. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) funds direct payments to farmers, regulates agricultural markets and finances EU countries' rural development programmes. Launched for the first time over 50 years ago, the CAP reform was adopted in December 2021 and entered...
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Represents the interests of the wood pellet sector to ensure its sustainable developement.
The world-leading, transparent and independent certification scheme for wood pellets.
enSURE Compliance with RED II Sustainability Requirements for the Production of Electricity, Heating and Cooling from Biomass.