We are facing a once-in-a-generation energy crisis which will require an unprecedented response from the Government. So it was strange to see Stepan Stepanenko in these pages call for the Prime Minister to ‘take a long, hard look’ at one of our most dependable energy sources. Biomass currently delivers enough renewable energy to power 4 million homes, displacing fossil fuels and supporting more wind and solar power.
Energy is complex. We should tread lightly when encouraging politicians to take sides on energy sources. Misguided intervention into energy markets tends to drive up costs and have unwanted ripple effects. Effective energy policy should be underpinned by the expertise of scientists and engineers who have considered whole system energy dynamics and the full life-cycle emissions of these technologies.
In the case of biomass, its value to our energy system is apparent and the science points to a clear conclusion. Sustainable biomass is vital to both the present and future of our energy mix.
Biomass, which is organic material used for energy (such as wood, agricultural crops or residues), is a critical component of our energy system. It’s a dispatchable technology (like gas and coal) which provides useful technical services, helping the system to be more efficient. Biomass can operate as firm baseload generation, with generation also able to be increased or reduced as needed. Sustainable biomass provides between 4% and 13% of our electricity (the second-highest renewable provider behind wind power), in response to supply and demand. This flexibility is essential for a high-quality and secure energy supply.
As winter looms, it would be a brave Prime Minister who turns away from such a valuable bulwark to our energy security. In contrast to natural gas, the UK sources the vast majority of its bioenergy feedstocks from liberal democracies that share our values: the USA, Canada, the EU and the UK itself. The International Energy Agency has said that increasing bioenergy generation is a key tool for reducing Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.
The environmental case for bioenergy is often misrepresented, but the world’s leading climate authorities are clear. A recent peer-reviewed paper by 28 bioenergy specialists, including UN IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) lead authors, examined a number of misconceptions about the climate impact of forest bioenergy. They argued that ‘narrow perspectives obscure the significant role that bioenergy can play by displacing fossil fuels now, and supporting energy system transition’.
Take the case of wood pellets sourced in the south-east US for use in the UK. This supply chain evolved from a well-established forestry industry which produces timber for construction. These forests are absolutely vast – the forested land in the region is equivalent to three times the entire land mass of the UK. Biomass uses the waste and leftover material from the working forests – and these forests have more than doubled their inventory in the last 70 years. Through this process, biomass displaced coal in the UK whilst supporting sustainable forest management in the US.
The existing UK sustainability governance framework for bioenergy is world-leading. It includes stringent criteria for land use and greenhouse gas emissions. These sustainability regulations, which are independently audited, ensure that not only is biomass used in the UK sourced from stable or growing forests, but that the lifecycle emissions for biomass electricity generation (NB including the whole supply chain) represent a significant emissions saving over fossil fuels. Typically, biomass represents a >80% reduction compared to coal and >70% reduction compared to gas.
The UK’s Climate Change Committee understands the case for biomass – their Sixth Carbon Budget stated that ‘sustainable bioenergy is essential for reaching Net Zero.’
Biomass will also play a significant part in supporting our future energy security and climate goals through the next generation of bioenergy technologies, namely bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, or BECCS. BECCS is unique – it is the only technology which can provide renewable electricity as well as negative emissions. By capturing the carbon dioxide from bioenergy generation and seeing it securely stored, BECCS will bolster our energy security whilst permanently removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
The BECCS story is also a positive value-for-money one. A report last year by the consultancy Baringa found that failing to deploy BECCS at Drax in the late 2020s would cost the UK £13bn more to achieve the legally-binding 5th Carbon Budget, and £26bn more to achieve Net Zero, as well as requiring much stronger consumer behaviour change.
The IPCC says that carbon dioxide removal is ‘unavoidable’ if net zero greenhouse gas emissions are to be achieved. We need every tool in the toolbox – BECCS is an important part of the solution.
We are in the midst of a defining energy crisis and an ever-more-daunting climate challenge. The Prime Minister should let biomass continue to deliver for the UK’s energy security and the environment.
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