Biomass is being used more and more for the generation of heat and power, the production of fuels or other chemical products, fully or partly replacing fossil-based materials. It is a viable response to global themes like climate change, security of energy supply and transition towards a low-carbon circular (bio-)economy. It is therefore important that organizations can demonstrate that their biomass is sustainably sourced and processed throughout the supply chain.
The Better Biomass certificate is used by organizations who wish to demonstrate that the biomass they produce, process, trade and / or use meets well established global sustainability criteria as well as chain-of-custody requirements. These have been defined by a multi-stakeholders working group, managed by NEN, and have been published in the standards NTA 8080-1 and NTA 8080-2.
Better Biomass is managed by NEN, the Netherlands Standardization Institute. As member of CEN and ISO, NEN will ensure that the sustainability criteria and conformity assessment processes are and will remain aligned with the relevant European (EN) and international (ISO) standards. The Better Biomass certification scheme is recognized by the Dutch Accreditation Council (RvA), being an EA and IAF member, and certification audits are carried out by independent certification bodies that are accredited to the Better Biomass certification scheme.
Better Biomass is operational since 2011 and has been recognized by the European Commission as voluntary scheme to demonstrate compliance with the mandatory sustainability criteria for biofuels and bioliquids as laid down in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED I) since 2012. Better Biomass was re-recognized under RED I in 2018. In July 2021, Better Biomass received a positive technical assessment to demonstrate compliance with the relevant legal requirements in the second edition of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II). More information is available at website of the European Commission.
In November 2018 the Dutch government approved Better Biomass as voluntary scheme to demonstrate compliance in the framework of the Dutch Decree conformity assessment of solid biomass for energy applications. This approval is applicable to all five biomass categories that are distinguished, and applies for the global use of the ‘Better Biomass certified’ claim. More information is available at the website of RVO (Netherlands Enterprise Agency) concerning the subsidy scheme for renewable energy (in Dutch).