The International Energy Agency (IEA) has admitted that there are "gaps" in the way biomass energy is accounted for in national statistics, after several EU countries reported a sharp increase in residential use of firewood to meet their 2020 renewable energy targets. Overall, it is true that firewood is a renewable energy source if it comes from sustainable forestry, but it cannot be claimed as a green solution, Euractiv reports.

The European Commission also admits that there are "some weaknesses" with national statistics, as the main source of renewable energy in the EU is now biomass combustion, with a share of almost 60%. This is more than wind and solar combined. The figure is even more alarming given that presumably less firewood is used and burned in the member states. The distortion is probably due to the fact that it is mainly used for household heating.

“The worst way to burn biomass is to do it in an open fire,” said Jan Rosenow, director of European programmes at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a think-tank specialised in clean energy. According to him, around 30% of the energy contained in a wood log is transformed into usable heat when burned in a fireplace, while the remaining 70% is just lost and “goes up your chimney”.