• Solid biofuel for use in the domestic and municipal sector will be subject to the quality monitoring and control system.
• The regulations will cover, among others, wood pellets, agro-pellets, briquettes, wood chips, wood chunks and straw.
• Businesses will be required to test the fuel and issue a certificate of its quality.
• Inspections of solid biofuel available on the market and imported from abroad will be carried out by the competent authorities, including the Trade Inspectorate and the National Revenue Administration.

The draft Act adopted by the Council of Ministers extends the existing system of monitoring and controlling fuel quality to include solid biofuel placed on the market and intended for the heating of buildings. The regulations will cover wood briquettes and pellets, wood chips, log pieces, other wood-based biomass, non-wood briquettes and pellets (the so-called agro-pellets), as well as straw bales and straw blocks, and other non-wood biomass.

Any manufacturer, importer or other trader placing such fuels on the market will be required to test them and issue a quality certificate. A standardised document will enable consumers to check the key fuel specifications and make it easier for them to choose the right product for their heating system. The inspections may cover fuels produced and sold in Poland, as well as those imported from abroad. The draft also sets out rules on sampling, fuel testing methods and penalties for breaches of the regulations.

The draft provides for the establishment of detailed requirements not only for wood pellets, but also for non-wood pellets (agro-pellets) and non-wood briquettes. These are designed to ensure that the fuel meets the required specifications, thereby limiting pollutant emissions during combustion. The planned values will be in line with the requirements of the EN ISO 17225 series of standards, which specifies the grades and specifications for solid biofuels: 

• Class A for non-wood pellets,
• Class A1 for non-wood briquettes. 

These classes describe the required parameters for specific types of fuel.

In the case of agro-pellets, the reduction in pollutant emissions will depend both on the fuel’s characteristics and on the use of a suitable heating appliance that meets the emission and energy requirements during combustion.

According to analyses presented by the Polish Pellet Council, which represents over 70 per cent of the domestic wood pellet market, the new regulations should not lead to a rise in the price of this fuel. A significant part of domestic producers already offer pellets that meet the requirements of Class A1 - the highest and most stringent quality category for wood pellets intended for use in domestic stoves and boilers.

Due to the quality certificate, those purchasing pellets, briquettes or other biomass fuels will be provided with information about their specifications. Using the adequate fuel for your equipment can help to maintain its efficiency and longevity, limit pollutant emissions and reduce heating costs. The introduction of controls on solid biofuels is also intended to prevent fuels contaminated with, among others, furniture waste or plastic from placing on the market. Restricting burning of such materials in domestic heating systems will help to improve air quality.