Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 45
45
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 219
Strengthen biomass governance framework, requiring sustainability criteria adherence and complete life-cycle carbon accounting.
Recommendation
The Government needs to manage risks associated with the sustainability of feedstock supply through its governance framework for biomass, which must be strengthened. Improvements should include: • All biomass used for large-scale power generation in the UK should be required to adhere to the sustainability criteria set by the UK governance framework. The Government should include in its Biomass Strategy a thorough review of the subsidy regime for biomass. • The woody biomass land criteria should stipulate that generators and participants must demonstrate that all of their woody biomass supplied is ‘legal and sustainable.’ • As soon as robust life-cycle carbon assessment methodologies are available, biomass sustainability requirements should include the complete accounting of the life-cycle carbon emissions of using a source of woody biomass, from the carbon stored in the forest, through to the stack emissions.
Government Response Summary
The government agrees to strengthen its biomass governance framework, committing to requiring 100% proven sustainable woody biomass feedstock and developing a common GHG emissions calculation methodology, with a consultation planned for 2024. However, it does not explicitly commit to a thorough review of the subsidy regime.
Paragraph Reference:
219
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The Government agrees that it is important to minimise and manage potential risks associated with the use of biomass feedstocks through robust sustainability criteria. Large-scale biomass power generators are already required to comply with strict and globally leading biomass sustainability criteria that are in place under existing government support schemes (e.g., Renewables Obligation and Contracts for Difference schemes). The Biomass Strategy presents a series of actions government is minded to take to strengthen our sustainability criteria, subject to consultation. These include the requirement that 100% of woody biomass feedstocks used in biomass generation to be proven sustainable, alongside the existing requirement for 100% legal sourcing. We also propose developing a common GHG emissions calculation methodology for the full biomass supply chain, to ensure consistency across sectors and to explore practicalities of accounting for soil carbon changes based upon up-to-date scientific evidence. To put in place these updates Government has committed to developing and implementing a cross-sectoral sustainability framework for biomass and we intend to consult on the details of this in 2024.