Dutch prosecutors are assessing whether to open a criminal investigation into RWE over allegations that the company misrepresented the origin of wood pellets used in its biomass power generation.<\/p>\n
The case was brought by two advocacy groups \u2014 Comit\u00e9 Schone Lucht in the Netherlands and UK-based Biofuelwatch \u2014 which claim that large volumes of wood pellets imported by RWE from Malaysia were not derived from sawmill residues, as certified, but from whole logs. The Dutch Public Prosecution Service is expected to decide by the end of March whether the case meets the threshold for criminal proceedings.<\/p>\n
RWE has rejected the allegations, stating that all biomass used in its operations complies with both Dutch and EU certification frameworks. The company maintains that its sourcing and reporting practices fully align with existing regulatory requirements.<\/p>\n
At the centre of the dispute is the Green Gold Label certification scheme, under which the Malaysian shipments are classified as Category 5 biomass \u2014 a category reserved for wood pellets produced exclusively from sawmill residues and therefore subject to less stringent oversight.<\/p>\n
The complainants argue that the certification system relies heavily on self-declaration, with limited independent verification, and that the scale of imports raises questions about whether sufficient sawmill waste could realistically supply the reported volumes.<\/p>\n
In a report published in November 2025, the Dutch climate minister acknowledged structural weaknesses in voluntary certification schemes but concluded at the time that there were no grounds for enforcement action against RWE.<\/p>\n
Following an appeal of that decision, a formal criminal complaint was filed in January 2026. The complaint includes allegations of certification fraud, possible document falsification and breaches of international human rights standards linked to deforestation. A parallel civil case has also been initiated before the District Court of The Hague.<\/p>\n
Wood pellets remain a major component of the EU\u2019s renewable energy mix, accounting for a significant share of biomass-based generation, with the Netherlands among the largest users.<\/p>\n
However, the role of wood pellets in the energy transition continues to face scrutiny. Critics argue that burning wood releases more carbon per unit of energy than coal at the point of combustion, while the carbon payback from forest regrowth can take decades. This raises questions about whether large-scale reliance on forest biomass is compatible with near-term climate targets.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":98253,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98252","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n