In addition, by renewing its supply from Latvijas Valsts meži AS, the company has a long-term and reliable supply of 100% PEFC-certified raw materials.

After a two-year break, NewFuels RSEZ SIA has renewed its FSC® certification, taking into account changes in the global markets regarding green business trends and thinking. Certification is a tool for confirming and ensuring that customer requirements are met, as well as for supporting and promoting fair and sustainable forest management, and complying with global market frameworks and conditions for successful trade.

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) is an international independent non-profit organization founded in 1993. It was established to promote responsible and sustainable forest management worldwide.

The main tasks of the FSC are:

• Set standards for sustainable forest management that encompass ecological, social, and economic aspects.
• Certify forests and companies that comply with these standards. The FSC certificate confirms that wood and wood products have been sourced in an environmentally, socially, and economically responsible manner.
• Label products with the FSC® trademark (logo) so that consumers can choose products that have been produced using sustainable resources.

The FSC is therefore a kind of quality and reliability mark that guarantees that forest resources are used in such a way as to preserve them for the needs of future generations.

By obtaining the SURE certification, NewFuels RSEZ SIA confirms that certification is an essential element in ensuring and demonstrating sustainability in the biomass sector. It offers a transparent and reliable system that confirms that the biomass products used in energy production meet the highest environmental and quality standards in accordance with the European Union’s Renewable Energy Directive (RED II/RED III).

The SURE certification is important for both biomass producers and users in Europe. It guarantees that the biomass is sourced and processed in a sustainable manner, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the transition to cleaner energy sources. Certified companies gain greater credibility, access to new markets and compliance with the EU regulations, while end users can be confident about the sustainability and quality of the biomass.

The SURE certification confirms that the certified company ensures:

• Sustainability: Ensures that the biomass is obtained from renewable resources, reducing the impact on the environment.

• Compliance: Complies with strict EU RED III regulations, ensuring compliance with legal requirements.

• Market access: Opens up opportunities in European and international markets that prioritize sustainable and certified biomass.

• Transparency: Ensures a clear and reliable verification process for biomass sourcing and processing.

• Credibility: Increases the credibility of certified companies among industry players and stakeholders.

The Austrian BEA Institut für Bioenergie GmbH issued certificates confirming that the wood pellet production facility meets the requirements of the ENplus A1 (6 mm) and ENplus A2 (6 mm) standards.

In May this year, NewFuels RSEZ SIA received a renewed SBP certificate in accordance with SBP Standard v.2. (Certificate version number: 26-05-2025 (04)). The company continues to work on its risk mitigation SBP programme and, as of May this year, the system has been upgraded for the purpose of transition from the European Biomass Regulation RED 2 to RED 3 system requirements and to sustainable biomass procurement at the pellet plant in Rēzekne.

The company is improving compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by collecting detailed information on the origin of the wood during the procurement process. As of February this year, the company, in accordance with the EUDR, has been carrying out risk assessment of the origin of the wood, origin audits, collecting data and maintaining a register of the origin of the wood. It also provides detailed biomass origin information to buyers to ensure the chain of traceability and compliance with EUDR requirements.

The company chose PEFC certification because PEFC certified material is available, which is received from PEFC. By providing certified companies with SBP certification-compliant biomass for the production of pellets.

Global as well as Latvian demand for PEFC products and the availability of PEFC-certified wood raw materials are also taken into account.

 PEFC certification facilitates and gives an opportunity to demonstrate sustainable and stable procurement of certified wood and production of products to cooperation partners. As well as to certify the compliance of the wood origin with the requirements of the EUDR (deforestation regulation).

NewFuels Rēzeknes specialās ekonomiskās zonas SIA supports the requirements of RED II Renewable Energy Directive (EU) 2018/2001 and the measures to ensure responsible procurement, accounting of biomass as required by the EU Biomass Regulation.

1. undertakes to comply in all its activities with applicable local and international laws and regulations to which it is bound and with the provisions of this Declaration, and to inform all employees and subcontractors involved of the contents of this Declaration and to ensure that the wood supplied complies with these provisions.
2. undertakes to purchase only biomass harvested in accordance with national laws and regulations and with the generally accepted forest management practices.
3. checks suppliers of secondary material, confirming that no additional material has been purchased from a third party and that it meets the suppliers’ recycling volume.
4. upon request of interested third parties “NewFuels” RSEZ SIA undertakes to identify the origin and region by providing access and copies of the documents identifying the origin of all biomass purchased.

Although the company had stopped purchasing biomass for some time, the PEFC and SBP certification systems were maintained and improved. Thus, at the end of February 2024, the full annual SBP audit was carried out. The results of the audit by independent auditors confirm that the SBP system data records, production CO data records, registry, procurement of compliant biomass, risk mitigation measures and performance assessment comply with the SBP requirements and are a reliable supply of compliant biomass to “NewFuels” RSEZ SIA product buyers with reference to SBP compliant biomass.

“NewFuels” RSEZ SIA is aware of and is making systematic additions in order to timely and thoroughly prepare for the upcoming changes to the SBP standards, which are expected to be approved at the end of 2024.

In addition, following and responding to the European directives, “NewFuels” RSEZ SIA has carried out an extension of the SBP/RED 2 certification and received a certificate confirming compliance with the Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources.

The Austrian BEA Institut für Bioenergie GmbH issued a certificate confirming the compliance of the production of wood pellets with the requirements of ENplus A2 (6 mm) standards.