This report explores the history of the GGL and the pivotal role that RWE and different biomass certification schemes which RWE and other energy companies developed played in developing a global market in wood pellets. It then gives an overview of the timeline for Dutch wood pellet burning and subsidies.

Green Gold Label (GGL) is a biomass certification scheme that was set up by the Dutch energy company Essent in 2002, before any other certification schemes for wood biomass energy existed. A supposedly independent Green Gold Foundation was then set up as owners of the scheme, and Essent was acquired by the German energy corporation RWE in 2009.