REA defends biomass after MPs call for subsidies cuts

In response to recent media and parliamentary scrutiny of the biomass energy sector, REA (Renewable Energy and Clean Technology Association) has highlighted the continued importance of biomass energy in achieving net zero.
In a statement, Mark Sommerfield, deputy director of policy at REA, said:
“The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UNIPCC) recognize the important ongoing role of sustainable biomass energy in delivering a decarbonized energy system. The sector already produces 13% of the UK’s renewable energy and uses a wide range of raw materials, including waste wood, contributing to the development of a circular economy.
“Specifically, under the Sixth Carbon Budget, the CCC states that an engineered carbon sequestration of 58 MTCO2 per year is required by 2050. Most of this amount is expected to be provided by bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), the most scalable carbon removal technology currently developed.
“The industry is fully committed to ensuring this is done correctly. The UK already has world-leading sustainability management solutions, which government and industry have already committed to further improving. Last year, the government’s director of science at the government’s Department of Energy said there was no scientific reason why BECCS could not be delivered sustainably in the UK.
“REA supports the creation of a mechanism to provide a bridge to BECCS. The proposed mechanism will maintain existing generation capacity at low costs while ensuring a mandatory BECCS supply path. Ensuring that existing low-emission generating plants receive a clear market signal about their future is essential for timely and cost-effective investment.
“Responding to the urgency of climate change means we must continue to invest in critical negative emissions technologies now if we are to deliver an affordable, secure and low-carbon energy system.”