BEST has prepared a study on particulate matter emissions from biomass combustion for the Austrian Biomass Association.

This fact sheet summarizes both the current and future status (through 2050) of particulate matter emissions from small-scale combustion in Austria, as well as the current state of knowledge regarding emissions from small-scale biomass combustion. The original fact sheet dates from 2019. In this 2025 update, the emission values have been updated and aligned with the current calculations of the Austrian Air Pollutant Inventory. Additionally, several scenarios have been calculated that demonstrate the potential for further reductions in particulate matter emissions under various current emission limits.

Key messages are:

• The use of state-of-the-art wood-burning systems and their proper operation will lead to a significant reduction in particulate matter emissions from biomass boilers and stoves over the next few years
• Currently, more than 50% of particulate matter emissions from small-scale combustion systems are caused by outdated designs of log-fired boilers that lack combustion control
• The strong trend toward pellet-fired systems has an extremely positive impact on emission projections due to their lower particulate matter emissions
• A further tightening of emission limits would bring only a slight improvement but would increase system costs, which would reduce competitiveness compared to alternative heating systems

Find here the Factsheet.

2026-04-21