SBP Standards Committee

Martin Junginger is a Professor of Bio-based Economy at the Copernicus Institute of Utrecht University. Martin is part of the Energy & Resources department management team and leads its bio-based economy research cluster.

Since 2013, he has led the IEA Bioenergy Task 40 on sustainable international bioenergy trade, initiating a number of biomass trade-related studies and workshops each year. Over the years, Martin has led projects totalling more than €3 million of Utrecht University funding. His past and current portfolio of projects includes European Commission projects, Horizon 2020, Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), ERA-NET and Intelligent Energy Europe, and others for the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, utility RWE Essent, Rabobank and the Port of Rotterdam.

Amongst other areas, Martin’s work encompasses analysis of bioenergy systems, related sustainability assessment of biomass production for energy and materials, including GHG emissions and other environmental impacts, and policy evaluation. He has co-published numerous titles in peer-reviewed scientific journals, project reports, book chapters and conference proceedings, and has also edited three books on energy and biomass topics. He acts as a reviewer for a variety of journals, scientific and government bodies.

Martin has built up an excellent network in the Netherlands, the EU, Canada, the US, Brazil and other countries. He is frequently involved in workshops and other international events.

Martin is familiar with the work of SBP, serving as a member of the independent Advisory Board to SBP from 2015 to 2018.

Mike Williams is Project Director for The Westervelt Company, a land resource company and forest owner in the Southeast US. He has over 35 years’ forest products experience in the packaging, pulp & paper, renewables, and lumber sectors. He has served in engineering, procurement, quality, strategy & planning, logistics, business development, and sustainability roles.

Mike is a board member of the US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA), Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Association, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Transportation Museum, and is a member of the Board of Visitors for the University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences.

Mike is familiar with the work of SBP having served on the SBP’s Stakeholder Committee and participated in a number of working groups.

A native of Kentucky, Mike holds a BS degree from Morehead State University, and has completed the Duke University Advanced Management Program.

Gary Q Bull is a Professor and Head of the Forest Resources Management Department at the University of British Columbia in Canada. He teaches courses in the emerging bio-economy and resource economics.

Gary has worked with First Nations in Canada for nearly 20 years bridging the gaps between changing technologies, natural resource management and First Nations’ culture and values. He is also a resource economics specialist working with global forest products companies, the bioenergy sector, UN FAO, several eNGOs, indigenous organisations and all levels of government.

He has worked and undertaken applied research in countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as Europe and North America.  He has prepared over 200 scientific publications and technical reports for international organisations.

Gary is familiar with the work of SBP, serving as a member of the independent Advisory Board to SBP from 2015 to 2018.

Richard Z Donovan is a forestry specialist and advisor to NGOs, businesses and government, with 40 years’ experience in over 50 countries. From 1992 through 2018, Richard led the Rainforest Alliance forestry programs. Today, he continues to devote a percentage of his time to Rainforest Alliance, including active engagement in its agriculture and climate programs and senior advisor/leader for multiple high-profile initiatives.

Richard was instrumental in the development of the FSC, as a founding member and co-chairperson of the original FSC Principles and Criteria Working Group.

He has extensive experience as a senior forest auditor and program/issues troubleshooter in a variety of aspects of forestry, agriculture and raw materials sourcing. He has conducted environmental and silvicultural assessments of biomass energy operations at small and large scale and has participated in numerous forestry, certification and auditing dialogues on a range of management and impact topics. He has also worked on the development and implementation of best management practices and guidelines for reduced impact logging, and certification standards.

He is an experienced public speaker and has authored over 200 technical reports and articles.

Prior to Rainforest Alliance, for seven years Richard was a natural resources specialist with consulting firm, ARD, Inc. and before that a field project director for four years for the World Wildlife Fund US and the Neotropica Foundation in Costa Rica, and a Peace Corps volunteer for three years in Paraguay.

Richard has an MS in Natural Resources Management and Administration from Antioch New England Graduate School.

Pedro Faria is a Strategic Advisor at CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project, which runs the global disclosure system enabling companies, cities, states and regions to measure and manage their environmental impacts. Pedro advises the CDP Executive Leadership Team on issues related to sustainability, climate and innovation.

For nine years, he was CDP Technical Director leading the team that designs CDP questionnaires, CDP scoring methodologies and curates CDP data. He had the opportunity to collaborate, and be at the inception of, several corporate & social responsibility innovations, includng the CDSB Framework and (integrated reporting).

Pedro has 20 years’ professional experience in the environmental field and has worked in the public and private sectors, as well as with NGOs. He has authored and co-authored several reports and articles for both generalist and specialised media, as well as peer reviewed journals.

Pedro is an Environmental Engineer and holds an MSc in Engineering and Management of Technology from the Technical University of Lisbon.

Nina Haase has close to 20 years’ experience working to address the drivers of ecosystem degradation through market-based and policy initiatives. Her experience includes working for leading credible certification schemes, research, environmental and development organisations.

She is a member of the Rainforest Alliance Board of Directors and was on the UTZ Supervisory Board before that.

She has lived and worked in the USA, Germany, Indonesia and China, where she started her career as a lecturer in Political Sciences.

Nina holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from the London School of Economics.

Sune Balle Hansen is the Biomass Sustainability Lead in Biomass Procurement and Logistics at HOFOR, Greater Copenhagen Utility. HOFOR uses wood pellets and woodchips to fuel its combined heat and power plant that feeds into the Copenhagen district heating grid.

Currently, Sune has responsibility for operational compliance with HOFOR’s biomass sustainability policies, regulatory requirements and biomass sustainability certifications, which includes regular direct contact with HOFOR’s biomass supply chain.

Sune’s career spans engineering and sustainability research in the private sector as well as in academia, including the directorship of an academic research centre. He is familiar with the work of SBP having served on the SBP’s Stakeholder Committee and participated in a number of working groups.

Sune holds an MSc and PhD in Environmental Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark.

Scott P Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of the Forest Landowners Association, based in Georgia, United States. Having spent over 20 years in the forestry sector, Scott’s wide experience spans forest land management, procurement, land ownership and advocacy at state and national level.

In his current role, Scott actively advocates on issues of importance to private forest landowners helping them to gain access to markets and preserve property rights that will sustain the next generation of forest landowners

Scott was recognised as a Distinguished Young Alumni of the Warnell School and was the first graduate of the program to receive the 40 under 40 award from the University of Georgia Alumni Association.

Scott holds a Bachelor of Science degree in forest resources from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia. He has been an SAF Certified Forester as well as a Georgia Registered Forester.

Mihkel Jugaste is the Head of Quality and Certification Systems at Graanul Invest, one of the biggest pellet producers in Europe and one of the largest independent renewable energy producers in the Baltic Sea region.

In his role, Mihkel is responsible for overseeing Graanul Invest’s management systems at each of its pellet plants and ensuring compliance with various relevant ISO standards. He is also responsible for maintaining the forest management, chain of custody and biomass certifications, including SBP, FSC, PEFC, GGL, ENplus and DINplus, at the pellet plants.

Prior to joining Graanul Invest, Mihkel worked for a Scandinavian engineering company and had a leading role in multiple environmentally sensitive construction projects.

Mihkel holds a BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering from the University of Exeter and an MSc in Environmental Management and Cleaner Production from the Tallinn University of Technology.

Gordon Murray is the Executive Director of the Wood Pellet Association of Canada (WPAC), where he advocates on behalf of pellet producers, traders, ports, stevedoring companies, equipment manufacturers, inspection companies, and all those who desire a strong and vibrant Canadian wood pellet industry.

Gordon has been closely engaged with SBP since its inception. He has been closely involved in the development of the SBP certification system and in advocating for SBP’s transition to a multi-stakeholder organisation. More recently, he has served on the SBP’s Stakeholder Committee and participated in a number of working groups.

Prior to joining WPAC in 2008, Gordon worked for many years as a forest industry consultant and as a sawmill owner-manager.

Gordon graduated from the University of British Columbia with a BSc in Forestry. He is a Registered Professional Forester and a Chartered Professional Accountant.

Gabriele (Gaby) Rahn joined Vattenfall Energy Trading (VET), Hamburg, in early 2000. VET is the trading company of Swedish state-owned, Vattenfall, one of Europe’s largest producers of electricity and heat. Vattenfall is committed to becoming fossil free within one generation.

Since 2011, Gaby has been Manager Biomass Business Development within VET. During recent years, the focus of her activities has been on the legality and sustainability of biomass, and the integrity and performance of the respective supply chains. Amongst others, she had a leading role in developing and implementing VET’s due diligence processes for biomass.

Gaby is familiar with the work of SBP having contributed to its development since the days of SBP’s predecessor, Initiative Wood Pellet Buyers, and more recently has served on the SBP’s Stakeholder Committee and participated in a number of working groups.

Prior to taking over the role in biomass trading, Gaby was in charge of the cross-border trading integration office and headed strategy and communications within VET. She has worked with the energy sector throughout her professional life and began her career as member of the editorial office of an oil and gas journal.

Gaby holds a degree in Economics. The focus of her studies at Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Politik was on market (de)regulation and environmental economics.

Yves Ryckmans is Chief Technology Officer, Biomass at ENGIE Laborelec, with responsibility for managing research and services for bio-energy applications within the ENGIE Group and for third parties worldwide.

He joined the Laborelec Research Centre of ENGIE Electrabel as a research engineer in 1989, working initially in the field of nuclear energy. From 1996, Yves initiated the development of fixed bed gasification and circulating fluidised bed gasification of woody biomass through several Belgian and European projects. In 1999, he became Head of the Laborelec Biomass Laboratory and Centre of Expertise, which has amassed over 20 years’ experience of working on technical issues, such as biomass to power applications, including biomass sustainability assessment and life cycle analysis studies.

Yves has been involved in the verification of sustainability criteria for solid biomass since 2005, and is familiar with the work of SBP having contributed to its development since the days of SBP’s predecessor, Initiative Wood Pellet Buyers. More recently, he has served on the SBP’s Stakeholder Committee and participated in a number of working groups.

Yves graduated from the University of Louvain-la-Neuve (UCL), Belgium and holds a PhD from the same university on modelling heat transfer in furnaces by finite elements techniques.