Recommendation 25

While much of the debate around biomass has focused on Drax, we received several written submissions outlining the important role played by smaller biomass generators in the UK. There are at present 54 regional biomass power stations that are primarily fuelled by waste wood from household waste recycling plants. These provide enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes.71 The government support for these power stations will begin to phase out from 2027 and it is not clear what support government will make available for them to convert to BECCS.72 Any conversion to BECCS would also require the government to set out clear plans for enabling carbon capture in ‘dispersed sites’, which are sources of carbon emissions that cannot access pipelines to transport the carbon dioxide. Only four of the 54 power stations are within 10 miles of a carbon capture cluster and are therefore likely to utilise a pipeline.73 66 National Audit Office, Carbon capture, usage and storage, Session 2024–25, HC 120, July 2024, para 1.4 67 Climate Change Committee, The Seventh Carbon Budget, February 2025, p 272 and fig 7.12.1 68 Q 67 69 Committee of Public Accounts, Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage, Eighth Report of Session 2024–25, HC 351, February 2025, para 22 70 Q 67 71 Bio0017 72 Q 58 73 Bio0017 17