In the process of using biomass energy for production, there are many opposing opinions, because according to some reports, many shaped biomass pellets are obtained by cutting down trees. The objection to the use of pellets for power generation is based on the following two points:
(1) The pellets are not carbon neutral during combustion;
(2) Using pellets will lead to deforestation. They have reason to worry about the carbon emissions from power generation and deforestation; but when using pellets power in advanced economies, both are wrong.

Pellets have become a major part of the global reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. These efforts are supported by national policies, these countries in some form incentivizing utilities to produce more carbon-free electricity. These incentives are usually subsidies for generators to offset the higher cost of particulate fuel relative to coal. In order to qualify for the benefits of the policy, generators must pass strict and independent audits to prove that there are net carbon benefits. The basis of the audit is the requirement to maintain the net stock of carbon sequestered in the forest. There are many other important standards that meet the certification requirements for the use of biomass-derived fuels. But here we only focus on how those standards ensure net carbon benefits.

To give a simple example, suppose a managed forest area whose purpose is to grow wood for the forest products industry, adding 500,000 tons of new wood every year. This annual growth rate will set the limit for the maximum removal in a year. If there is no crossover, then the net carbon stock in the forest will not decrease, because the net biomass stock will not decrease. If all harvesting becomes wood pellets (which is extremely unlikely because the sawn wood used to make wood almost never becomes pellets), then the carbon released during pellet combustion will be removed from the new growth in management. Circulate out of the atmosphere. Because a large part of the annual harvest is turned into wood and the carbon is not recycled back to new growth, the net change in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is negative as long as the sustainability limit based on the annual growth rate is not exceeded.

This explains why the opponents’ two objections to the use of pellet fuel are carefully designed. We should all pay attention to deforestation. However, to use pellets as fuel in power plants in major importing countries in Europe, the UK and soon Japan, pellets must carry a certificate proving that they are produced with sustainable raw materials. If the source of pellets is the result of permanent reduction of forest land activities, then the power plant will not be able to obtain the support that allows it to use pellets in the first place. Those rejected pellets will have no buyers in these markets. The sustainability rules embedded in the carbon dioxide reduction policy purposefully prevent deforestation.