Pellet Plant Handbook : ENplus Certification for Wood Pellet Plant

The Background and Goal of ENplus Certification

The ENplus certification is a quality control system not just focused on the manufacturing process of the wood pellet, but also covered the whole wood pellet supply chain ( from the production of the wood pellet to its delivery to the end users) . The goal of the ENplus certification system for wood pellet is to make sure that the wood pellet maintain a clearly defined quality for heating purposes. Therefore, all the interested parties of the wood pellet supply chain can become ENplus certified, which include the wood pellet plant, the wood pellet traders, and wood pellet service providers, etc. The ENplus certification is likely a quality guarantee for the wood pellet.

The ENplus trade mark is owned by the European Pellet Council (EPC), which is a member of the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM). Normally, there are three classes of the wood pellet qualities, the ENplus-A1, ENplus-A2, and EN-B, which is based on the specifications of the European standard EN 14961-2, solid biofuels – Fuel Specifications and Classes – Part 2: Wood pellets for non- industrial use.

ENplus Certification Procedure for Wood Pellet Plant

Find the suitable ENplus licenser for your pellet plant

There are two ways to get an ENplus certification, by the EPC, or by a national licenser. The ENplus certification can be applied around the world, so the right to issue the certificate to use ENplus brand to wood pellet plant is passed by AEBIOM to the national pellet associations that have been verified by the AEBIOM as the national licensers. If the country of your pellet plant has a national licenser, then you can apply the ENplus certificate by the licenser. Otherwise, the wood pellet plant can apply the certificate directly through the EPC.

The ENplus licensers for wood pellet plant

Find a suitable certification body for your pellet plant

The duty of a certification body is to check every relevant document, such as the application form, the audit results and the lab results. There are many certification bodies around the world. All the certification bodies are registered and cooperated with the EPC, and be responsible for all the countries. But, some of the national associations has their own cooperating certification bodies. Therefore, if you choose the following national associations for your wood pellet plant to apply the ENplus certification, then you have to choose the exact certification bodies which is listed as follow:

The special certification bodies for wood pellet plant

For the wood pellet plants in other countries, you are free to choose the certification bodies based on your own preferences. The certification bodies which accept wood pellet plants world wide: AENOR, ENAMA, FCBA, Holzforschung Austria, OFI CERT, PCU and TÜV NORD Czech s.r.o..

Find a suitable inspection body for your pellet plant

To get the ENplus certificate for wood pellet, the pellet plant must fill in the EPC application for inspection body, and all the auditors carry out inspections within the ENplus scheme. For the global wood pellet manufacturers, it is up to them to choose the inspection body for their own. No matter where your wood pellet plant is located, you can choose any of the listed organizations to set up your audits.

The accredited inspection body for wood pellet plant

Fill in the application form for wood pellet plant

After you select the inspection body for your pellet plant, the next step is to download the application form. The application form of ENplus certification can be divided into several different types, for example: the forms for pellet manufacturers, the form for pellet traders, the form for pellet service providers, etc. According to the different business types, there are also some data sheets which have to be filled, such as the sheets for plants, vehicles, pellet stores, service providers and so on. Also, the contract of the ENplus license is included in the application form.

Before you finished the application forms and try to submit it, there is one more thing you have to do — find a registered testing body. The testing body is an organization which helps to do the pellet testing for your pellet plant according to the EN 14961-2 standard. For the pellet producers, it is also free to choose the testing bodies, regardless of the nationality.

The registered testing bodies for pellet plant

Submit the application forms for pellet plant

When you got the certification body, inspection body and testing body for your pellet plant and finished the application forms, then you should email the application forms to enplus@pelletcouncil.eu, and mail two signed copies to AEBIOM office, the address is : AEBIOM – European Biomass Association, Place du Champ de Mars 2, 1050 Brussels, Belgium.

Get the certification for pellet plant

When the AEBIOM received your application forms, they will start to check if your pellet plant is qualified. If your pellet plant meets all the requirements, the pellet council will send you an invoice for the license fee for the first year. After the payment, you will get your certification seal, the certificate and countersigned license contract. There you can start to use the Enplus trade mark on the package of your wood pellet.

Continue your reading with other pellet plant handbook post:

Pellet Plant Handbook : The History of Pellet Mill

Pellet Plant Handbook : Wood Pellet Standards in Europe

Pellet Plant Handbook : The Physical Characteristics of Wood Pellet

Pellet Plant Handbook : The Chemical Characteristics of Biomass Pellet

Pellet Plant Handbook : The Interdependencies Between Biomass Pellet Parameters