Chris Wiberg, the vice president of Biomass Energy Lab, believes ENplus® has a true global reach

Chris Wiberg has been a trusted partner of the certification scheme since its earliest days, playing a pivotal role not only in its initial establishment but also in supporting its growth and evolution over the years. Today, we are delighted to share his reflections on the scheme and the value it continues to bring.

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When did you first become involved with the ENplus^® certification scheme?

 I was actually involved during the initial drafting stage.  I met Christian Rakos (the first president of the European Pellet Council and the president of the World Bioenergy Association today) who was leading the drafting of the ENplus^® wood pellet quality scheme at the same time that I was leading the United States development of the Pellet Fuels Institute (PFI) wood pellet quality scheme. 

Due to the US Environmental Protection Agency’s program requirements for the US program (e.g. monthly third party inspections) we knew that there would need to be two separate schemes, but we wanted the programs to be aligned as close as possible so Christian and I worked collaboratively in these early days to make sure central principles were aligned. 

Through this early work and now through the years I have remained involved on the ENplus^®  Advisory Committee as well as through our active participation as an ENplus^® Inspection and Testing Body.

 

What has your experience of the scheme been like over the years? 

It has been fun to watch the ENplus^® scheme evolve from original concept to its current highly detailed and accredited structure. I take great pride in having been part of its development so watching it grow as large as it has become has been a real pleasure for me.

 

In your opinion, what is the biggest advantage of ENplus^® after 15 years of operation? 

I would say global recognition. TheENplus^® program has true global reach and with the large amount of demand for ENplus^® certified product it creates opportunities in countries around the world.  Everyone globally can participate in the scheme if they so desire.

 

Based on your observations as a representative of an ENplus^® testing body, do you think that pellet producers and traders find it easier to meet the quality requirements today than they did in the past? 

I do believe so and I would say this is the result of familiarity with the scheme.  ENplus^® has now been around for 15 years with many plants that have been certified for long periods of time.  Back when the scheme first started all of the requirements were new, testing procedures were new, setting up on-site labs was new, etc.  It took years for companies and individuals to gain familiarity with all of the requirements and to develop systems around it. 

Now, all of these years later, all of these requirements have become routine and just the normal mode of operating.  There are of course always new components each time the scheme is updated, but these present relatively simple tweaks as compared to the first adoption of a new program.

 

Do you think that certifications which are very Europe-oriented, such as ENplus^®, have an impact on the pellet market in the US?

Absolutely!!  The US PFI program is the main program for wood pellet producers who sell into the US residential wood pellet heating market; however this largely focuses on producers in the northern and central states.  Producers in the south have relatively limited access to US heating markets so their better opportunities lie in export power and the ENplus^® residential market in Europe.  There are currently 16 ENplus^® certified producers in the US, all of which maintain their certifications in order to be able to export product to the EU when market conditions are right.

 

In your opinion, what future do premium pellets have?

I believe the future for premium pellets is very bright.  As the market size continues to grow there will be a continued need to assure that product remains high quality and is not diluted with lesser grade material.  There are significant advantages in using premium grade pellets so assurance of product grade will continue to be a cornerstone of the industry.