Thank you for contacting me about biomass electricity generation.
I would like to assure you that the Government continues to recognise climate change as one of the most serious long-term threats that this country and the world face.
Sustainable, low carbon bioenergy has helped the UK move to a low-carbon energy mix, increase our energy security and keep costs down for consumers. I understand that the Government sees the use of biomass as a transitional technology and has announced that support for all coal to biomass conversions will end in 2027.
The UK only supports biomass for electricity generation which complies with strict sustainability criteria, and I understand that generating stations utilising biomass only receive subsidies in respect of compliant biomass. These criteria take into account social, economic and environmental issues including protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, land use rights, sustainable harvesting and regeneration rates. The criteria also ensure that the carbon stock of the forest from which the pellets are derived is not decreased by requiring that biomass fuels are derived from forest waste wood and residues and that the forest owner adheres to relevant legal requirements to protect biodiversity and the environment.
Therefore, only biomass from sustainable sources should be used in the UK. Under biomass sustainability criteria, bioenergy suppliers must report on the sustainability of their operations if they want to claim subsidy support under the Renewables Obligation, Contracts for Difference (CfD), or the Renewable Heat Incentive. These criteria are amongst the toughest in the world and any generators that do not comply lose this financial support. This also includes a minimum 60 per cent lifecycle greenhouse gas saving and for the biomass to be from a sustainable source.
The Government consulted on the inclusion of biomass and set out its intention to remove biomass conversion technologies from the CfD scheme. The Government's response to the consultation confirmed that the Government plans to exclude new coal-to-biomass conversions from future CfD allocation rounds. I understand a new cross-government Biomass Strategy, which is to be published before the new year will look at how biomass should be sourced and used across the economy to best contribute to the UK's net zero target. This will set out the Government’s view on the role of biomass in the energy sector and provide further clarity to the market
