Biomass is only sustainable and renewable when sourced from responsibly managed forests that are growing, not from old growth, primary forest or protected biodiverse areas. And this should be independently verified, writes Dr Rebecca Heaton, a forester and Head of Sustainability and Policy at Drax Power. Healthy wood markets encourage responsible forest management, which leads to better quality trees and more carbon stored in the forest and in solid wood products. …Sustainable biomass, including forest biomass, accounts for as much as 45% of all renewables consumed in the EU – considerably more than wind, geothermal, hydro and solar put together. …If managed sustainably, biomass is a major part of the energy solution in Europe.