Netherlands faces lawsuit over biomass sustainability and subsidies

The environmental organization Comité Schone Lucht (CSL) has announced legal action against the Dutch government regarding the sustainability of biomass used in national power plants. The lawsuit seeks stricter oversight and demands that the state stop treating biomass as a sustainable energy source or providing subsidies when the origin and sustainability of the wood cannot be independently verified.

The dispute follows reports that wood pellets used to power the Amer and Eemshaven power plants may contribute to deforestation in Malaysia. Investigations by CSL, Zembla, and NRC suggested that instead of using only sawmill residues, whole tree trunks are being used to produce pellets. While RWE maintains that the wood comes from “sustainably managed production forests and plantations” rather than old-growth forests, police are reportedly investigating the matter.

The Dutch government has allocated billions of euros in subsidies for biomass under the assumption it is a sustainable energy source. RWE alone could claim up to 2.5 billion euros. As current regulations expire at the end of the year, the government is considering alternative biomass technologies, such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).