• 신재생에너지
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.50-60
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• 2021

This study investigated the reference case in the UK where legality and sustainability were systematically established for forest biomass represented by wood pellets. The UK is the country that best utilizes the trade value of wood pellets based on sustainability, with bioenergy accounting for 31% of total renewable energy production. The UK imported wood pellet, estimated 8,697 thousand tons in 2019. The UK government has continuously improved the renewable generation policy system to ensure the sustainability of wood pellets. The weighted average greenhouse gas emissions of a UK biomass power plant that received a Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) in 2018-19 was 26.71 gCO2e/MJ. These power plants are expected to meet the upper limit of 72.2 gCO2e/MJ by 2025. To issue an ROC, the biomass power plant must demonstrate that 70% of its total biofuel usage is sustainable. The UK uses the Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) certification system, which is gradually expanding to other European countries, to prove the sustainability of biomass energy fuels. Global wood pellet production with SBP certification in 2019 was 10.5 Mt. This trend has significant implications for introducing additional sustainability into the wood pellet policy of South Korea.