Ref. Ares(2022)6704752 - 29/09/2022
Sustainable Biomass Program
Introduction to
SBP
August 2021
SBP: Sustainable Biomass Program
About SBP
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SBP is a non-profit, independent certification scheme
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Specifically developed for woody biomass used in large-scale
industrial heat and power production
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The SBP system can be used to ensure that feedstock is sourced from
legal and sustainable sources
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Heat and power producers (End-users) use SBP certification to
demonstrate compliance with national legality and sustainability
requirements for woody biomass
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Biomass Producers and Traders use SBP certification to comply with
purchasing policies / supplier agreements of End-users
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Independent auditing :
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SBP: Certificate Holders
Certificate Holders by type*
ca. 15m tonnes
Biomass
Producers
266
Traders
59
335
End-users
10
335 Certificate Holders across 33 countries
40 Applicants
• ca. 77% of the EU industrial pel et market
• ¼ of the worldwide pel et production (2019)
* As at August 2021
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SBP: Leading in biomass certification
SBP is the world’s leading independent
FSC and PEFC do not fully
multi-stakeholder certification system for
meet the existing regulatory
woody biomass
requirements in European
Countries
Benefits
Ø One size fits all
Ø Meta-standard to include different regulatory
requirements
Ø Replaces multiple supplier audits
Ø Enables international trade
Ø Recognises FSC and PEFC certification
Ø Collects and transfers energy data enabling
calculation of GHG emissions
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SBP: Certification system
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There are three types of Certificate Holder
Ø Biomass Producer (BP)
Ø Trader
Ø End-user
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Each step of the supply chain must be certified
if the biomass produced and sold is to carry an
SBP claim
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BPs undertake a Supply Base Evaluation (SBE)
of feedstock sources
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BPs determine and mitigate risks of using
unsustainable feedstock
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Certified volumes and energy data transferred
through the SBP Data Transfer System (DTS)
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SBP: Data Transfer System
The Data Transfer System is a cloud-based digital tool for the transfer of SBP
claims and production and sustainability data along the supply chain
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324 Certificate Holders = 2,000+ Business
Relationships
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Business Relationships = Access to data
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REDII implementation
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SBP applied for REDII approval in October 2020, process is still pending
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REDII implementing acts delayed
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Voluntary scheme approval delayed
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Only a few EU Member States have transposed REDII into national law as
of July 2021
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REDIII being consulted on!
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SBP recognises the importance of being ambitious in order to achieve
climate goals BUT making regulatory and policy changes just as new
markets and revised sustainability requirements emerge creates
uncertainty for investors and supply chain actors, and presents
implementation issues and barriers to trade
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Fit for 55 package
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REDIII sustainability criteria for forest biomass
Ø Applying existing land criteria (no-go areas) for agricultural biomass to forest biomass (including
primary, highly diverse forests and peatlands) Recommend to develop forest specific criteria
Ø Adding further elements to Article 29(6) to minimise negative impact of harvesting on soil quality
and biodiversity Need to be auditable using a risk-based approach
Ø Applying existing greenhouse gas saving thresholds for electricity, heating and cooling
production from biomass fuels to existing installations (not only new installations) Outside scope
of SBP
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LULUCF regulation
Ø SBP would wish to see al proposals evidenced
Ø Increasing afforestation of the EU by incentivising farmers and forest managers to retain forests
for the purposes of carbon removal Recommend supporting ecosystem services
Sustainably sourced biomass helps to preserve continuous and sustainable forest management
practices
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Fit for 55 package
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Forest strategy
Ø Biomass sustainably sourced and used efficiently – cascading principle Good intention,
SBP addresses sourcing, market forces apply, chal enging/impossible to audit
Ø All primary and old growth forests to be strictly protected Overal good
Ø Common definition for primary and old-growth forests and the strict protection regime
to be agreed SBP could provide expertise
Ø Ecosystem restoration Overal good, but consensus with forest owners required
Ø EU-wide integrated forest monitoring framework Support fact/evidence-based and
data-driven discussions
Bad biomass practice must be eliminated - it can have a detrimental impact on forest health, on long
term sustainability of wood products markets and on achieving our climate goals
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SBP: Sources
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SBP Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6YxUToXjmk&t=3s
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SBP Annual Review 2020: https://sbp-cert.org/documents/annual-
reviews/
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SBP Facts & Figures: https://sbp-cert.org/about-us/facts-figures
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SBP Standards: https://sbp-cert.org/documents/standards-
documents/
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Better certification and regulation for biomass: a certification
scheme’s perspective
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Contact SBP:
xxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
www.sbp-cert.org
Sign up and become a member
of the SBP Stakeholder
Advisory Group - SADG
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Feedstock by type and origin
2020 data
Primary feedstock Roundwood and residues direct from the forest.
Examples include:
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Low grade roundwood – wood from the stem of a tree (excludes
branches, stumps and roots) that is not merchantable as
sawtimber.
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Harvest residues without stumps – tops, limbs, branches, leaves,
bark excluding stumps.
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Low grade roundwood rejected by sawmil s – wood from the stem
of a tree that is unfit for processing.
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High grade roundwood – wood from the stem of a tree (excludes
branches, stumps and roots) that is merchantable as sawtimber.
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Harvest residues with stumps – tops, limbs, branches, leaves, bark
including stumps.
Secondary feedstock Residues from sawmil s and other primary
processing. Examples include:
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Sawmil and wood industry residues – residues produced during
the primary processing of wood (sawdust, chips and smal offcuts).
Tertiary feedstock Residues from secondary processing (pre-
consumer) and recycling (post-consumer). Examples include:
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Wood industry residues – residues produced during the secondary
processing of wood (shavings and chips).
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