The revised EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) brings noticeable changes to the utilisation of wood energy and continues to raise many questions. To discuss these issues in detail and work together on finding answers, the Brüning Group invited numerous industry representatives to an Open Campus at its headquarters in Bremen on the 28th and 29th of April 2025. Under the motto “READY FOR RED III”, the two-day event focused on the impact of the new directive on the wood energy market – in a practical, well-founded manner and in direct dialogue with experts and fellow industry partners.
RED III IS CHANGING THE RULES
RED III has implications across the entire biomass value chain: from suppliers to plant operators, the various players face new requirements and therefore considerable challenges. Lower thresholds and stricter documentation requirements place greater demands on smaller plant operators and suppliers in particular.
As an experienced player, the Brüning Group was therefore keen to create a forum in the form of the Open Campus that provides information, connects stakeholders, and offers guidance in times of growing regulatory complexity. With 46 participants from all over Germany, the response was remarkable – a clear sign of how much the topic is driving the industry. The event thus focused on both providing technical information, facilitating direct exchange among those affected, and jointly considering practical solutions in an increasingly regulated market environment.
FROM POLICY TO PRACTICE
Following with finger food and informal introductions the evening before, the main event began with a morning reception in the Brüning Group’s patio. The official welcome was followed by an overview of the political background and regulatory developments by Christoph Tollmann from the German Bioenergy Association (BBE). Thomas Siegmund from the SURE certification system then went into more detail about the specific requirements of RED II and RED III. Afterwards, the participants were given a guided tour of the company, providing them with insights into the structures and day-to-day business of the Brüning Group – a welcome glimpse behind the scenes and the perfect opportunity for networking. This was followed by Markus Schoo, CEO of Forstbetrieb Schoo GmbH & Co. KG, who vividly described the current challenges from the perspective of a biomass supplier before the participants were able to recharge with culinary delights at a barbecue in the patio. In the afternoon, Hanne Koch-Steindl from OmniCert kicked things off with an insightful look into the certification and auditing process. ‘The event was perfectly organised and the topics were well chosen,’ she concluded afterwards. Hendrik Bauer and Florentin Morick from the Brüning Group’s certification team rounded off the programme with a practical demonstration of how the Brüning Group implements the RED III requirements in its daily business. The closing drinks offered a relaxed end to the day and highlighted the key takeaway: joint action is needed to meet the challenges of RED III effectively. “A thoroughly successful event with productive exchange and valuable insights into RED III certification requirements. Many thanks to the Brüning Group for bringing all stakeholders together,” summarises Christoph Tollmann.
A STRONG SIGNAL FOR THE WOOD ENERGY MARKET
RED III is complex – but not impossible to solve. And, above all: it affects all of us. The event clearly demonstrated the high demand for reliable information among those involved. However, the participants took away much more than just knowledge: they gained new contacts, concrete ideas for implementation, and the reassuring feeling that they are not facing the upcoming challenges alone. “Participating in info events like this is valuable and important for SURE as well: on the one hand, to contribute first-hand to raising awareness and building a shared understanding of this complex topic, and on the other hand to receive direct feedback from those affected and to gain an awareness of the practical implementation challenges. Only this way can we continue to develop our system step by step and identify pragmatic solutions within the legal framework. The quality of the questions asked and the depth of the discussions, even during the breaks, are evidence of an early and thorough engagement with RED III. We need more events like this to raise awareness across the industry and provide support in implementing RED III certification,” concludes Thomas Siegmund.
It is also clear to us that RED III will continue to keep us busy for quite some time. That’s why we want to continue offering a platform to shape this transition together. We are currently working on a partner portal designed to streamline the processes involved in documentation and certification. The aim is to significantly simplify the work of our suppliers, forwards, and customers to optimise central workflows. In future, the system will also map the upcoming requirements of the EUDR criteria. That is why we are already looking forward to further formats of this kind – with you, for the industry.