Environment Agency: Waste materials used as fuel will reduce greenhouse emissions
Waste materials used as fuel for generating electricity and heat could play an important role in meeting the UK’s renewable energy and greenhouse emissions targets, a new report suggests.
Biomass – carbon sink or carbon sinner?,a report published by the Environment Agency finds that using biomass to generate electricity can deliver very large greenhouse emission savings compared with using gas or coal but only if the fuel is produced in an environmentally sustainable way and used efficiently.
The report estimates that greenhouse gas emissions of more than three million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year could be saved by 2002 if good practice is followed.
Overall, the EA found that the best performing schemes in terms of greenhouse gas emissions are those that deliver combined heat and power rather than just electricity and schemes that use wastes or energy crops that have not been transported too far. Clean wood waste was used as an example of one waste that could be used in CHP plants.
The EA called on the Government to make sure the Renewables Obligation, the Renewable Heat Incentive and other relevant policies are providing greater incentives for CHP and heat only plants than for electricity. It also urged the Government to develop a mandatory minimum standard for the greenhouse gas savings achieved by biomass fuels used to generate heat and power.
Environment Agency climate change and sustainable development head Tony Grayling said: “The biomass heat and power sector can play an important role in helping the UK meet its renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions but only if it meets high standards. We want to ensure that the sector’s growth is environmentally sustainable and that the mistakes made with biofuels are avoided, where unsustainable growth has had to be curbed. Biomass operators have a responsibility to ensure that biomass comes from sustainable sources, and is used efficiently to deliver the greatest greenhouse gas savings and the most renewable energy.
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