Wood Heat Association Responds to Committee on Climate Change Bioenergy Report

• The Committee on Climate Change publish their report Biomass in a low-carbon economy
• The report confirms that biomass feedstocks can be produced sustainably and in a low-carbon way
• Biomass can be used to help better forest management
• Harvesting biomass is essential to successfully mitigating climate change
• The report makes three recommendations surrounding governance, forest and land carbon stores and the use of biomass.

The Committee on Climate Change published their report Biomass in a low-carbon economy today which found that sustainably sourced biomass will play a fundamental role in decarbonising the UK.

The report highlighted the importance of strong domestic and international governance over biomass feedstocks through non-certification based initiatives as a priority for long-term sustainably sourced biomass.

The report made two further recommendations. To build-up the UK’s forest and land carbon stores whilst increasing the supply of sustainably harvested biomass from UK sources and to adapt the current uses of biomass by 2050 to ensure it is used in the most effective way through initiatives such as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS).

Neil Harrison Chair of the Wood Heat Association commented:

“Decarbonising heat in the UK is one of the biggest challenges we face, with around third of our emissions coming from heat alone. There are no silver bullets and we need a number of different technologies and approaches if we are going to be able to ensure a low carbon, low cost and sustainable way of heating our homes.

“The CCC’s latest report demonstrates that biomass should play a significant role in a future low-carbon economy and crucially, biomass can be used to help better forest management, increase carbon stocks in trees and soils, as well as to grow the supply of sustainably harvested biomass both globally and in the UK.”

—ENDS—

For more information or to request an interview, please contact:

Hayley Allen

External Affairs Officer
+44 020 7981 0862
hallen@r-e-a.net

Notes to editors

• The Committee on Climate Change’s Biomass in a low-carbon economy can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/renewable-heat-incentive-biomass-combustion-in-urban-areas

About the Wood Heat Association (WHA)

The Wood Heat Association is the UK trade association for the modern biomass heating industry. We bring together wood fuel suppliers, biomass boiler and stove installers and distributors, energy companies and developers. We are fully owned subsidiary of the Renewable Energy Association (REA), and the largest wood and biomass heating trade association with 240 member companies.

About the Renewable Energy Association (REA)

The REA is the largest UK trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies. Our 550 + member organisations range from energy utilities and renewable energy developers working across multiple technologies and solutions through to innovative niche technology companies and consultants. Our finance forum and other platforms support member organisations from the investment, insurance and legal sectors that enable this growing economy.

For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net