Germany: Biomass Ordinance transposing RED III criticised at Bundestag hearing
On 9 October, experts heard by the Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy broadly supported the draft amendment to the Biomass Ordinance but disagreed on the cascading principle and support for wood energy.
French forests: area keeps growing, tree mortality up 2.5-fold
The 2026 results of the French national forest inventory report 17.7 million hectares of forest and mortality of 18.1 million m³ a year over 2016-2024, 2.5 times higher than a decade earlier.
UK: REA calls for more biomass, both home-grown and imported
The renewable energy trade association expects bioenergy demand of 190-216 TWh by 2050 and urges the government to take quick decisions on support and sustainability.
Bioeconomy: 272 projects compete for €170.7m in the 2026 CBE JU call
The 2026 call of the Circular Bio-based Europe partnership received 272 proposals requesting €1.65bn against €170.7m available; results are expected in January 2027.
Germany: €200m a year for climate-adapted forest management from 2027
The federal climate-adapted forest management programme (KWM) is increased by more than €50m to €200m a year from January 2027; new applications have been possible since 1 October 2026.
Spain: Mahou San Miguel brewery switches to biomass with a 20 MW heat plant
The brewer has opened a 20 MWth biomass plant in Alovera (Guadalajara) that will use around 30,000 t/yr of forest and agricultural biomass and is expected to cut the site's direct CO₂ emissions by up to 95%.
Flanders: no green or CHP certificates during negative prices from 2027
From 1 January 2027, no green electricity or CHP certificates will be granted during periods of at least a quarter of an hour of negative prices, instead of six consecutive hours previously.
UK: environmental green light for carbon capture at Drax biomass power station
On 14 August the Environment Agency granted Drax Power a permit variation allowing a carbon capture unit to be added to its bioenergy plant near Selby, Yorkshire.