The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has announced that 100 organisations now currently hold valid SBP certificates. The organisations have been certified in accordance with the SBP certification system, a unique certification system designed for woody biomass used in industrial, large-scale heat and power production.
Founded as the Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) in 2013 by a group of seven European power utilities to address sustainability of biomass fuel sourcing, Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) has since developed a certification process for woody biomass primarily wood pellets used in industrial, large-scale heat and/or power production.
The SBP certification system enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source the raw material responsibly and in compliance with the regulatory, including sustainability, requirements applicable to generators burning woody biomass to produce heat and/or power. Reaching 100 certifications is an important milestone for us. It firmly establishes SBP as an effective certification system for the biomass-to-energy sector, said Carsten Huljus, SBP’s Chief Executive Officer in a statement.
SBP Certificate Holders are either biomass producers, traders, or the end-users of SBP- certified biomass, such as large-scale utilities producing heat and power. The geographic reach of the SBP system currently extends to 15 countries. A list of Certificate Holders may be viewed here.
Facts
About SBP
The Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) is a unique certification system designed for woody biomass, mostly in the form of wood pellets and wood chips, used in industrial, large-scale energy production. SBP’s vision is an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable woody biomass supply chain that contributes to a low carbon economy. SBP recognises fully the credibility of existing and well-proven forest certification systems, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) schemes, and does not wish to compete with or replicate them. However, there is limited uptake of certification in some key forest source areas and the aforementioned schemes do not yet cover all the key requirements of biomass users. Therefore, SBP is working to develop solutions, short term and long term, to address these issues and is in discussion with both FSC and PEFC to determine how these challenges might be overcome. The SBP certification system is designed as a clear statement of principles, standards and processes necessary to demonstrate such compliance. Wherever possible, use is made of the FSC and PEFC standards and processes already applied to other forest product streams.
