RED III, tensions on biomass exploitation

RED III, a revised European Union (EU) directive may adopt restrictions on primary woody biomass.

A revision of the RED II Directive

RED III concerns Bioenergy Europe on the restriction of primary woody biomass. Daniel Reinemann, Policy Manager of Bioenergy Europe, says:

“The best hope that these restrictions will not be reflected in the ongoing revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directorate (REDIII) is to have “very strong objections” from EU countries.”

The company regrets that this text creates confusion in the administration and an additional burden.

Indeed, the European Parliament, not the member states, is pushing for this exclusion decision. The European Parliament wanted to put in place a cap based on a certain amount of biomass. Thus, a majority of the EU Parliament is opposed to the extension of biomass consumption.

However, biomass from sustainably managed forests is “essential” for the EU’s climate and energy security policies. Restricting the expansion of this major renewable energy source or capping its use would send the wrong signal. Austrian MP Simone Schmiedtbauer, says:

“We are in a minority position on biomass.”

A contested decision

Austria, through its representatives, is against this restriction. The country hopes that the negotiations on the final legal texts will be more favorable to the biomass industry. Vienna refers to the exclusion of specific technologies by the parliamentary environment and energy committees.

These include biomass combustion or small hydroelectric power plants with a maximum capacity of 10MW. The European Parliament continues to consider all forms of biomass for energy as renewable in the 2030 target. However, he wants a cap for primary woody biomass at the 2017-2022 level.

Bioenergy Europe highlights the uncertainty for companies. Indeed, it considers that the current directive, RED II, does not benefit from a transposition in the national legislations. The industry association Bioenergy Europe mobilized on this theme during the European conference Bioenergy Future 2022.