What does the EU Timber Regulation mean for the biomass industry?

摘要

In the past year, most focus in the biomass industry has been on sustainability criteria - whether and how they will be implemented. Meanwhile the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR) rules, which require woody biomass to be legally sourced, have been in place for a year. Interest in sustainability criteria has been so great that these rules, which require biomass businesses to collect information from their supply chains and undergo government inspections, have not had the attention they deserve. The EUTR applies to companies sourcing, supplying and burning woody biomass for the EU market. It affects a defined list of timber and timber products harvested in the EU or beyond, including a number of bioenergy feedstocks. EU Commission guidance is clear that the law also applies to byproducts of sawmilling, such as residues and sawdust used for bioenergy.