Concern over sustainability of biomass

COMPANIES that burn wood pellets for energy may be "marking their own homework on sustainability", an influential cross-party committee has warned.

- REBECCA SPEARE-COLE PA Sustainability Reporter [e-mail]

In a report published yesterday, MPs on the Public Accounts Committee said certification schemes, which aim to ensure biomass used in the UK has been sustainably sourced, may not be strong enough.

Burning wood chips to generate electricity is classified as renewable power, and is seen by the Government as essential to achieving the UK's net zero goals provided the wood is sustainably sourced and combined with carbon capture and storage technology, known as BECCS.

The Government has provided £22 billion in public subsidies to businesses and households that use biomass, with £6.5 billion going to Drax, which runs the UK's biggest power station in Yorkshire.

The sector has long faced accusations of burning wood from environmentally important or rare forests overseas. Wider concerns also remain over whether biomass can be genuinely considered a low-carbon fuel and if BECCS can be effectively scaled to mitigate the emissions from burning wood.

The Public Accounts Committee's report said the Government has for too long relied on an untested approach to make sure biomass generators are meeting sustainability criteria in return for receiving financial support.

Current arrangements rely heavily on self-reporting and third-party schemes, it said.

The group of MPs also argued that neither the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) nor regulator Ofgem know whether this is effective in ensuring the sustainability of biomass.

On BECCS, the committee raised concerns about a lack of a contingency plan if the technology is no longer considered viable, urging DESNZ to outline alternative routes for achieving net carbon removals and what the future of biomass will be without carbon capture.