Biomass

Biomass is derived from organic material such as trees, plants, and agricultural and urban waste. It can be used for heating, electricity generation, and transport fuels. Increasing the use of biomass in the EU can help diversify Europe's energy supply, create growth and jobs, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. In 2012, biomass and waste accounted for about two-thirds of all renewable energy consumption in the EU.

EU Rules on Sustainable biomass

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Biomass in the Renewable Energy Directives

In order to contribute to renewable energy targets and qualify for subsidies in EU countries, biomass-derived renewable energy must meet specific sustainability criteria.

The updated Renewable Energy Directive of 2018 (RED II Directive 2018/2001) extended these criteria to include large-scale biomass used for heat and power, in addition to biofuels and bioliquids for transport. The directive introduced new criteria for various types of biomass:

Agriculture waste and residues must demonstrate soil quality and carbon protection, while agriculture biomass must show it doesn't come from highly biodiverse forests.
Forest biomass must prove that the country of origin has laws to prevent unsustainable harvesting and account for emissions from forest harvesting. If not, bioenergy generators must show sustainability at the biomass sourcing area.
New biofuels plants should emit at least 65% fewer greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuels, while biomass-based heat and power plants must emit at least 70% (80% in 2026) less.
Large-scale bioelectricity plants must use efficient cogeneration technology, Best Available Techniques (BAT), achieve 36% efficiency (for plants above 100 MW-), or employ carbon capture and storage.

EU member states were required to implement these criteria by the end of June 2021 and could establish more stringent standards.

These criteria work alongside existing EU climate and environmental regulations, particularly the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry Regulation 2018/841, to ensure all sectors contribute to the EU's 2030 emissions reduction target.

A provisional agreement reached in May 2023 to amend the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) was followed by a vote in the EU Council and the European Parliament in September 2023.

ncourages a shift from conventional biofuels to advanced biofuels and alternative renewable fuels, such as e-fuels. The EU's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 promotes minimizing the use of whole trees, food, and feed crops for energy production, both within the EU and through imports.

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The Institutional agreement on RED III

For biomass to be effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it must be produced in a sustainable way. Biomass production involves a chain of activities ranging from the growing of feedstock to final energy conversion. Each step along the way can pose different sustainability challenges that need to be managed.

Proposal for updated sustainability criteria for biofuels, bioliquids and biomass fuelsThe Commission's November 2016 proposal for a revised Renewable Energy Directive includes updated sustainability criteria for biofuels used in transport and bioliquids, and solid and gaseous biomass fuels used for heat and power. Annexes V and VI include updated greenhouse gas emission accounting rules and default values.

Technical background studies for the preparation of the Impact Assessment on the Sustainability of Bioenergy:

Sustainability report

tIn 2014, the European Commission published a report on the sustainability of solid and gaseous biomass for heat and electricity generation. The report includes information on current and planned EU actions to maximise the benefits of using biomass while avoiding negative impacts on the environment.

Sustainability criteria

The European Commission has issued non-binding recommendations on sustainability criteria for biomass. These recommendations are meant to apply to energy installations of at least 1MW thermal heat or electrical power. They:

forbid the use of biomass from land converted from forest, and other high carbon stock areas, as well as highly biodiverse areas
ensure that biofuels emit at least 35% less greenhouse gases over their lifecycle (cultivation, processing, transport, etc.) when compared to fossil fuels. For new installations this amount rises to 50% in 2017 and 60% in 2018
favour national biofuels support schemes for highly efficient installations
encourage the monitoring of the origin of all biomass consumed in the EU to ensure their sustainability

Related documents on Sustainability criteria

Permitting procedures

One of the biggest difficulties facing biomass producers is getting the proper permits to build their installations. Problems include:

too many process steps and permits issued by separate authorities
permits are subject to a wide range of legislative acts
a lack of clear timetables
a lack of local knowledge and capacity to analyse complex bioenergy permit applications
a lack of clear procedures to obtain energy grid access
local resistance to bioenergy projects

To improve the situation, the EU released a series of practical recommendations aimed at helping project developers, NGOs, and permitting authorities.