Electricity consumers in Spain are shortly to take advantage of renewable energy produced from PEFC-certified biomass. Valoriza Energía has recently obtained PEFC Chain of Custody certification for three 
of its plants in Andalusia with a combined capacity of 33.8 megawatts, sufficient to provide electricity to an equivalent of more than 23,000 households per year.
Valoriza Energía, which is part of the Sacyr Vallehermoso Group, is committed to utilizing forest biomass in a responsible manner and obtained PEFC certification to demonstrate the sustainability of the high volume of biomass it procures.
"We have noticed that energy companies are becoming increasingly interested in ensuring that the biomass they are using is PEFC-certified," said Michael Berger, Head of Technical Unit, PEFC International. "This is an important development: For forest biomass to be renewable, it must originate form forests that are managed sustainably."
Forest biomass in electricity production decreases carbon emissions because the carbon in biomass is regarded as part of the natural carbon cycle: trees take in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into biomass and released it back into the atmosphere when they decompose naturally or are burned for biomass production.
"PEFC certification ensures that the forests from which the biomass originates are managed in a responsible manner, maintaining their capacity to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits," Mr. Berger emphasized.