As SBP readies itself for the transformational step towards becoming a multi-stakeholder governed organisation. SBP’s independent Chair, Francis Sullivan, talks about the making the vision a reality:

“Moving to a multi-stakeholder governed certification scheme was always the shared vision of SBP’s founding members. In 2013, there was some urgency to develop a solution enabling energy producers using biomass to keep pace, and demonstrate compliance, with emerging biomass sustainability requirements. With an eye on the future, members were keen that SBP would ultimately become self-funding.

“Towards the end of 2016, it was clear that SBP was ready to make that bold move. A fully operational set of standards was in place and the organisation was in a position to secure sufficient income from its activities to cover its running costs.

“Following the recommendation of the Advisory Board, an independent forum chaired by Julia Marton-Lefèvre, SBP undertook the task of determining an appropriate long term, multi-stakeholder governance structure and transitioning towards it. That new structure will be implemented in January 2019.

“The transition is in line with best practice as demonstrated by leading sustainability standards and aligns with the principles of codes of ISEAL, a recognised global membership association for sustainability standards.

“The new governance arrangements bring together stakeholder groups representing civil society interests, biomass producer interests and those of biomass end-users. The involvement of a range of interest groups at Board and Committee level will foster dialogue, decision-making and implementation of solutions to common goals.

“Through the involvement of a wide range of stakeholders, decisions will gain more legitimacy and better reflect a set of perspectives rather than a narrow view.

“Over the coming weeks, we will introduce the new faces that will be steering SBP on its future course. We will start with the nine members of the Board, who with me will govern SBP, overseeing the implementation of our mission and vision, as well as setting the overall strategy, direction and budget.”

The Certification Body, DNV GL Business Assurance Finland Oy Ab (DNV GL Finland), has been suspended by Accreditation Services International (ASI) for SBP certification (effective 15 October 2018).

Details on the grounds for suspension can be viewed on the ASI website.

DNV GL has six months within which to clear the suspension. Failure to do so will result in termination.

Until the suspension is lifted, DNV GL Finland shall not enter into new agreements for certification, or conduct main (initial) certifications. DNV GL Finland shall, however, continue to conduct surveillance audits for existing clients during the period of suspension.

If you are a Certification Body or SBP Certificate Holder, see ASI’s FAQs on suspensions for further information.

SBP has today announced that its certification system has received approval from the Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy for secondary feedstock (biomass category 5) and chain of custody, making SBP the first certification scheme recognised by the Netherlands as offering an end-to-end solution for secondary feedstock under the SDE+ subsidy regulation.

Carsten Huljus, SBP Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are very pleased with the Minister’s decision. Recognition of SBP is important to us as a certification system and to our Certificate Holders who wish to do business in the Dutch biomass market and make an important contribution towards decarbonisation of the energy sector”.

The SBP certification system underwent a rigorous benchmarking exercise and was found to meet the relevant sustainability and management criteria. The latter evaluating SBP’s processes and procedures against requirements on transparency and openness, decision-making, stakeholder engagement and expert knowledge.

SBP is now working with the Dutch regulator, RVO.nl, to ensure efficient and effective practical implementation of the requirements.

In July, SBP submitted a second application for benchmarking against the requirements for primary feedstock (biomass categories 1 to 4). A decision is not expected until the end of the year.

Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) has today published the response to its consultation on the Biomass Assurance Framework (BAF), a suite of five standards and processes allowing companies in the biomass sector to demonstrate compliance with legal, regulatory and sustainability requirements relating to woody biomass.

The response to consultation summarises the responses received and sets out the SBP’s decisions on the matters contained in the consultation issued in March 2014. As a result of the consultation exercise, BAF version 0.0 is now in use as a ‘beta version’ for final testing. Following a period of final testing, SBP expects to launch version 1.0 in the first quarter of 2015.

Peter Wilson, Executive Director of SBP commented: “We are grateful to all those interested parties which took part in the consultation exercise. Recognising that there is limited uptake of certification in some key forest source areas for woody biomass, SBP is working to develop solutions to address the challenge this brings and complement existing forest certification schemes.

“The Biomass Assurance Framework will benefit from continuous improvement over time as we learn by doing. SBP aims to provide a practical approach to inform the work of European policy makers and regulators, and at the same time facilitate trading of wood pellets across international markets.”

In the summer, SBP launched a pilot regional risk assessment in Lithuania to identify potential risks in the supply of sustainable woody biomass from the region. That assessment is now at an advanced stage and the SBP Board has approved the extension of the approach to Estonia and Latvia.

Conducting further regional risk assessments will inform the consideration of wider adoption of the approach.

SBP has today announced that five Certification Bodies have been accepted as applicants and are now able to progress towards achieving SBP-approved status. The applicant Certification Bodies are: BM Trada, Bureau Veritas Latvia, Control Union, NEPCon and NSF.

The SBP Framework of standards and processes enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source their raw material responsibly and that it complies with the legal, regulatory and sustainability requirements applicable to European power generators. It also facilitates the carriage of energy and carbon data along the supply chain to the end-user. Under the SBP Framework the Biomass Producer, typically a pellet mill, is certified by a SBP-approved Certification Body and is responsible for ensuring that its feedstock meets the SBP standards.

To become SBP-approved, a Certification Body must first provide evidence that it meets the SBP requirements regarding its existing accreditations and it must also demonstrate that it has sufficient resources and competence to manage the certification programme.

The next step for an applicant Certification Body is to satisfy SBP of its competence to undertake an audit of a Biomass Producer against the SBP standards in a real-life situation. The first assessments are expected early next year.

Peter Wilson, Executive Director of SBP commented: “We have had a lot of interest from Certification Bodies and are pleased to accept BM Trada, Bureau Veritas Latvia, Control Union, NEPCon, and NSF as applicants and look forward to working with each of them as they progress towards SBP-approved status.

“This is a significant step in establishing the SBP Framework as the most efficient way for Biomass Producers to demonstrate they are meeting European legal, regulatory and sustainability requirements, and a milestone in establishing an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable biomass supply chain that contributes to a low carbon economy”

SBP has today announced that Certification Body, SCS Global Services has been accepted as an applicant and is now able to progress towards achieving SBP-approved status.

The SBP Framework of standards and processes enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source their raw material responsibly and that it complies with the legal, regulatory and sustainability requirements applicable to European power generators. It also facilitates the carriage of energy and carbon data along the supply chain to the end-user. Under the SBP Framework the Biomass Producer, typically a pellet mill, is certified by a SBP-approved Certification Body and is responsible for ensuring that its feedstock meets the SBP standards.

To become SBP-approved, a Certification Body must first provide evidence that it meets the SBP requirements regarding its existing accreditations and it must also demonstrate that it has sufficient resources and competence to manage the certification programme.

The next step for an applicant Certification Body is to satisfy SBP of its competence to undertake an audit of a Biomass Producer against the SBP standards in a real-life situation.

Peter Wilson, Executive Director of SBP commented: “We are pleased to accept SCS Global Services as an applicant and look forward to progressing the application towards SBP-approved status.

“SBP has now accepted six Certification Bodies as applicants which is a key step towards establishing the SBP Framework as an effective scheme enabling users of woody biomass for energy production to demonstrate that the biomass is both legally and sustainably sourced.”

The Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) has today announced the appointment of Julia Marton-Lefèvre as the Chairman of the new Board being established to provide advice to the SBP.

Ms Marton-Lefèvre has been prominent in the scientific and environmental community and has recently stepped down as Director General of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) following eight years’ service. The IUCN is a unique global membership organisation bringing together governments and non-governmental organisations, scientists and experts to seek pragmatic solutions to the most pressing environment and development challenges.

The role of the new Advisory Board to the SBP will be to give advice to the SBP Board on, for example, the strategic direction of the SBP, the credibility of the SBP Framework, as well as on specific technical and policy issues. With the Chairman in post, work is now underway to fill the remaining positions on the Advisory Board. The composition of the SBP Advisory Board will ensure that key stakeholder groups are represented.

Thomas Dalsgaard, Executive Vice President of DONG Energy and SBP Board Member, who led the search and selection process on behalf of the SBP Board, commented: “I am pleased that Ms Marton-Lefèvre has accepted the role of Chairman of the SBP Advisory Board. The Advisory Board will play a critical role in the future development of the SBP and it is very important that its Chairman has a solid track record of bridging the gap between business and civil society.

“Ms Marton-Lefèvre has impeccable credentials and the necessary intellectual curiosity to be an effective Chairman. I believe she will be a tremendous asset to the SBP.”

Welcoming Ms Marton-Lefèvre to the role, Dorothy Thompson, Group Chief Executive of Drax and Chairman of the SBP, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Ms Marton-Lefèvre as Chairman of the SBP Advisory Board. My fellow Board members and I look forward to working with her to make SBP a truly multi-stakeholder approach.”

Julia Marton-Lefèvre commented: “I am delighted to accept the role of Chairman of the SBP Advisory Board. I strongly believe that the SBP will benefit from a collaborative approach involving key stakeholder groups to help it achieve its vision of an economically, environmentally and socially sustainable solid biomass supply chain that contributes to a low carbon economy. My first task will be to assist in populating the Advisory Board and then we will begin our work as a group providing the best advice possible to the Partnership.”

The Sustainable Biomass Partnership (SBP) has today launched the SBP Framework to representatives of the EU Institutions at an event in Brussels. The Framework consists of standards and independent certification procedures which together provide a tool enabling users of woody biomass for energy production to demonstrate the legal and sustainable sourcing of its feedstock material in compliance with regulatory requirements and to provide the data required to assess properly its carbon footprint.

Energy production from biomass has an important role to play in the future EU energy market and is key to the current Energy Union debate. It has the potential to deliver a meaningful contribution towards meeting the 2020 and 2030 renewable energy targets and the long term goal for decarbonisation, whilst strongly supporting security of energy supply. In order for woody biomass to fulfil this role it is imperative that the biomass feedstock is sourced both legally and sustainably and that it is a low carbon energy alternative. The SBP Framework provides a practical approach to demonstrate that and in doing so will support the work of European policy makers and regulators in integrating woody biomass use for large scale energy production into low carbon energy policy.

The SBP recognises forest-level certification schemes, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). However, in some key forest source areas for the woody biomass typically used for large scale, industrial energy production there is a lack of uptake of these schemes. In addition, the schemes themselves do not cover all the regulatory requirements that users of biomass for energy production must meet, most notably the collection, carriage and calculation of energy and carbon balance data along the supply chain.

The SBP has developed its Framework as a solution to both these issues and as a tool to demonstrate compliance with national regulatory requirements. The Framework draws on the most comprehensive aspects of today’s requirements for legal and sustainable feedstock sourcing and energy and carbon balance calculations. It is adaptive in its approach and will evolve through a process of continuous improvement enabling future regulatory requirements to be incorporated as necessary.

The SBP Framework is ready for implementation and the immediate focus is to encourage Biomass Producers to seek certification of their processes in conformance with the Framework.

Commenting on the launch of the SBP Framework, Dorothy Thompson CBE, SBP Chairman said: “Biomass is only a true renewable if it is sourced responsibly and sustainably. SBP fully recognises that when biomass is used to produce energy it must be sustainable and a low carbon alternative. The SBP Framework is an effective tool enabling users of woody biomass for energy production to demonstrate these credentials in compliance with regulatory requirements.

“We are encouraged by the interest that representatives of the EU Institutions have shown in the SBP and its Framework, and we look forward to working with them and other interested parties to make this a truly multi-stakeholder approach.”

Peter Wilson, Executive Director, SBP added: “The members of the SBP are significant actors in the large scale, industrial wood to energy sector and together have taken the initiative to facilitate the development of an independently certified tool, the SBP Framework, which will enable users of woody biomass for energy production to demonstrate their fuel is sourced in compliance with regulatory, including sustainability, requirements.

“The SBP Framework has used existing forest-level certification schemes as its starting point and has developed additional criteria to ensure compliance with existing regulatory requirements for users of biomass for energy production. It is the intention that the Framework provides a practical approach to support the work of European policy makers and regulators.”

SBP has today announced that a further four Certification Bodies have been accepted as applicants and are now able to progress towards achieving SBP-approved status. The applicant Certification Bodies are: Forest Certification, KPMG Performance Registrar Inc., PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) and SGS.

The SBP Framework of standards and processes enables producers of woody biomass to demonstrate that they source their raw material responsibly and that it complies with the regulatory, including sustainability, requirements applicable to European power generators burning woody biomass to produce energy.

Under the SBP Framework the Biomass Producer, typically a pellet mill, is certified by a SBP-approved Certification Body. To become SBP-approved, a Certification Body must first provide evidence that it meets the SBP requirements regarding its existing accreditations and it must also demonstrate that it has sufficient resources and competence to manage the certification programme.

The next step for an applicant Certification Body is to satisfy SBP of its competence to undertake an audit of a Biomass Producer against the SBP standards in a real-life situation.

Peter Wilson, Executive Director of SBP commented: “Significant interest has been shown by Certification Bodies in becoming SBP-approved and we are pleased to accept Forest Certification, KPMG Performance Registrar Inc., PwC and SGS as applicants. We will now work with each of them as they progress towards SBP-approved status.

“This is a significant step in establishing the SBP Framework as an efficient tool for users of biomass for energy production to demonstrate compliance with regulatory, including sustainability, requirements.”