The EUBIONET III project has boosted (i) sustainable, transparent international biomass fuel trade, (ii) investments in best practice technologies and (iii) new services on biomass heat sector. Furthermore, it identified cost-efficient and value-adding use of biomass for energy and industry. The aims of this article are to provide a synthesis of the key results of this project. Estimated annual solid biomass potential in the EU-27 is almost 6600PJ (157Mtoe), of which 48% is currently utilised. The greatest potential for increased use lies in forest residues and herbaceous biomass. Trade barriers have been evaluated and some solutions suggested such as CN codes for wood pellets and price indexes for industrial wood pellets and wood chips. The analysis of wood pellet and wood chip prices revealed large difference amongst EU countries, but also that on the short term prices of woody and fossil fuels are barely correlated. Sustainable production and use of solid biomass are also deemed important by most European stakeholders, and many support the introduction of harmonised sustainability criteria, albeit under a number of preconditions. The study identified also that a number of woody and agro-industrial residue streams remain un- or underutilised. The estimated European total potential of agro-industrial sources is more than 250PJ (7.2Mtoe), the amount of unutilised woody biomass (the annual increment of growing stock) even amounts to 3150PJ (75Mtoe). Finally 35 case studies of biomass heating substituting fossil fuels were carried out, showing that the potential to reduce GHG emissions ranges between 90 and 98%, while costs are very similar to fossil fuel heating systems. Overall, we conclude that solid biomass is growing strongly, and is likely to heavily contribute to the EU renewable energy targets in the coming decade.

Rising energy prices, geopolitics as well as concerns over increasing oil prices, national security, and the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions on global climate change are driving large-scale efforts to implement bioenergy alternatives. Biomass fuels offer many new opportunities, but if not managed carefully, they may also carry significant risks. Biomass in this context is non-fossil material of biological origin from forest, energy crops, agriculture and different kind of wastes. Markets for energy generated from biomass are expanding at a fast pace. Sustainable use of biomass as an energy source requires comprehensive management of natural, social and economic resources. Establishing certification schemes is a possible strategy to ensure that bioenergy is produced in a sustainable manner. At this time, a clear certification of traded biomass is needed. Different types of certification systems, international standards and initiatives relevant to biomass production already exist. However, an analysis of the experience gained with these systems, reveal that they are not effective to monitor and manage all effects of biomass production for energy. There is no international consensus on universal sustainability requirements and the inclusion or exclusion of certain exemplary criteria is one of the difficulties of setting up a certification scheme. The role of certification efforts in this report is to participate in creation of a global market for sustainable biomass fuels and in extension sustainable bioenergy. In attempt to support the development of an implementable international certification scheme for sustainable biomass production, the existing Forest Certification Schemes were evaluated against environmental sustainability through 15 indicators and against social and economic sustainability through 19 indicators identified from literature. The set of principles and criteria suggested is the final result of sampling, evaluation, filtering and completion following a review of literature, analysis of the activity and experience in forestry as well as in the other sectors. PRINCIPLE 1: Biomass shall be produced in an environmentally responsible way. Principle 1 is covered by the following criteria: the use of chemicals; forest/land management planning; forest/land monitoring; maintenance of biological diversity; protection of areas of high ecological value; protection of the soil and prevention of erosion; protection or enhancement of water quality and regeneration following harvesting. PRINCIPLE 2: Sustainable management of social capital. Principle 2 is covered by the following criteria: recognition and respect for the customary and traditional rights of indigenous/local people; protecting the health and safety of employees; provision of information to increase public awareness of forest management planning, forest operations and/or forest outcomes; protection of areas of particular historic, cultural or spiritual value and the rights of children. PRINCIPLE 3: Biomass production shall be economically viable. Principle 3 is covered by the criterion: maintenance or enhancement of the economic viability of operations. The proposed system has a hierarchical structure in which the overall task of avoiding unsustainable biomass is translated into three principles. Each of the principles is designed to ensure that biomass is produced in accordance with sustainability requirements. The goal of the principles is to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the biomass-for-energy production systems, by establishing a worldwide standard of recognized and respected Principles of Biomass Certification System. Each principle is in the next hierarchical level guaranteed by a number of workable sustainability criteria.