Spain registers 30 producers and 15 traders for ENplus® pellet certificates
The ENplus quality system is based on the international ISO 17225-2 standard referring to wood pellets
By the end of July 2015 the year had seen nine more new manufacturers certified with the ENplus seal. These new holders bring the total number of certificates issued for factories to 30 and for traders to 15, which meets the forecasts put forward for this year by AVEBIOM, the body designated by the European Pellet Council (EPC) to develop the quality certification system for domestic wood pellets in Spain. But that is not all, because the number of certifications is forecast to increase before the end of the year, given that several more enterprises are in the process of implementing the system.
One significant point that AVEBIOM highlights is that the new production facilities have decided to produce ENplus certified pellet as well as other biofuels such as quality chips from the outset so that they can reach thermal energy consumers that are not just domestic users.
This trend confirms the rapid growth being seen in the Spanish solid biofuels market for thermal uses. In terms of pellets, the production capacity that will be installed by the end of the year will be nearly 1,340,000 t/year, spread out over 60 plants. Altogether, the factories that have been certified over the last year provide over 25,000 t/year of production capacity. And for 2015, production of over 475,000 tonnes of pellets is forecast.
New handbook
After several months of work by the EPC together with national representatives – including AVEBIOM in Spain – the new version 3.0 of the ENplus Handbook for quality certification is available.
The Handbook came into force on 1st August, so that producers and traders will gradually be able to adapt to version 3.0 before 31st December 2015, when all the changes in implementation become mandatory. From 1st January 2016 the new norm will apply to everyone. The list of enterprises that have successfully completed the switch-over will be publicly posted on the ENplus website.
Important changes
One of the main differences from handbook 2 are the updates to the ISO 17225-2 norm for technical requirements, which keeps practically the same limits except for ash content in classes A2 and B, which become stricter (1.2% and 2.0% respectively). In addition, several parameters will be more restrictive than in the ISO norm:
- Mechanical Durability: 98% in mass as received for class A1. For A2 and B the limit will be 97.5%
- Fines (for bagged pellets): 0.5% in mass as received at the factory.
- Bulk density: a maximum of 750 kg/m3 will be mandatory in order to avoid problems in some types of stoves without automatic air control.
- The fusion temperature, as in previous handbooks, is a mandatory parameter and has to be carried out at 815º, which is different from the norm.
Depending on the contact they have with pellets, traders will have different calendars for external auditor monitoring and different levels of internal monitoring. Another new point will be certification for services such as bagging or transporting so that companies that do not sell pellets but do offer these services will not have to become certified several times.
Fraud and misuse of the seal
For several years now, AVEBIOM and the European Pellet Council have been taking measures to counter fraud and misuse of the ENplus seal. At http://www.enplus-pellets.eu/fraud/ you can report any fraudulent use detected on the market. Furthermore, there is a blacklist of enterprises that have committed fraud. You are advised to get in touch directly with AVEBIOM if you discover any suspicious goods (badly reproduced logo, bags with no ENplus i.d., misleading publicity, etc.)
Because it is the body responsible for managing the system, and currently vice-president of the EPC, AVEBIOM has represented the Spanish sector at all the discussions about the new handbook. If you need further information or explanation on any aspect of the new norm, or require a copy of the latest available draft, you can contact AVEBIOM at info@pelletenplus.es
ENplus at Expobiomasa 2015
Just as in previous years, the sector's flagship Fair, specialised in biomass technology and held in Valladolid, will yet again become the setting for an awards ceremony at which recently qualifying enterprises obtain their quality seal.
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