The UK government defines biomass as “any material of biological origin, including the biodegradable fraction of products, crops, wastes and residues from biological origin.”[i] Biomass can be burned to release heat or converted into liquid or gaseous fuels. Biomass can be used in renewable electricity generation, heating, low-carbon transport fuels, industrial decarbonisation, low-carbon hydrogen, and bioeconomy. It can also be used to make biomethane. Biomethane is also known as renewable natural gas that can be made from food waste, sewage sludge, and agricultural by-products. It is, therefore, a biofuel that can be used in electricity generation and is fully compatible with natural gas vehicles. It can also be used in gas injection, an enhanced oil recovery method where the gas is pumped into an injection well, creating higher pressure that pushes out hydrocarbons from low-pressure areas of a reservoir formation.
Biomass is part of the fast carbon cycle. The fast carbon cycle uses the processes of photosynthesis, respiration, digestion, decomposition, combustion, and ocean-atmosphere exchange to create a carbon cycle that operates on a daily basis. So, whilst carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when biomass is burned, replanting trees to make new biomass can absorb the same amount of carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, which is why biomass is presented as a carbon-neutral energy source.[ii]
There are varying figures for how much of the UK’s total energy supply came from biomass in 2022. Graham Stuart, the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, says that 11% of the UK’s total electricity supply came from bioenergy. [iii] However, the National Grid claims that this figure is 5.2%.[iv] Professor Paul Monks of the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero Chief Scientific Advisor states that 8.6% of the UK’s energy (electricity and gas) came from biomass.[v] 66% of the biomass used to generate renewable energy in the UK comes from domestic sources, whilst the rest comes from international sources.[vi]
In a previous insight, we discussed the UK government’s ambitions for carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). When combined with carbon capture and storage, bioenergy can produce negative emissions.[vii] Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) is a type of engineered Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) technology. Carbon dioxide released from burning biomass to make energy is captured and stored.
In November 2021, the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy released a Biomass Policy Statement. The policy statement explained that biomass has a role to play in the UK’s Net Zero Strategy across the short, medium, and long term.[viii]
“We expect biomass use to be prioritised according to these principles, in areas, such as sustainable aviation fuel and hydrogen production helping to decarbonise greenhouse gas (GHG) intensive sectors such as aviation and industry, and as a fossil fuel replacement to make valuable products from materials further down the waste hierarchy and provide a circular economy benefit. Over time, as the technology develops, we expect biomass use to also be focused in applications that can deliver negative emissions through Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), while also supporting energy security.”[ix]
In March 2023, The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero published the Powering Up Britain strategy, which explained that biomass has a major role in building the UK’s green economy.[x]
The Biomass Strategy was intended to be published in 2022.[xi] However, the BBC’s Panorama on the unsustainable supply chain of the wood burning Drax power station in Yorkshire, which provides 12% of the UK’s renewable energy, is a likely reason that the release date was pushed back.[xii]
The report outlines the government’s dedication to future biomass sustainability. Sustainable biomass has specific land and greenhouse gas criteria defined in sector-specific legislation across renewables, heating, transportation, emissions trading, and private law contracts.[xiii]
The report also explains that both domestic and international biomass supply will be needed in the future. However, when considering the domestic supply, the UK’s current food production levels and legally binding Environment Act 2021 targets will need to be upheld.
A medium and long-term priority of the UK government is BECCS. BECCS is currently operating in demonstration plants and at a commercial scale in other parts of the world. For example, two power stations in Denmark, Asnæs and Avedøre, will begin capturing and storing biogenic carbon in 2025, and by 2026, they will capture and store approximately 430,000 tonnes of biogenic carbon dioxide every year.[xiv] However, BECCS is not currently operating on a large scale in the UK.[xv] The Biomass Strategy states that,
“The deployment of BECCS will come via several possible routes, each of which are at various stages of technology readiness. There is active work ongoing in government to support BECCS, including development of several business models to support it.”[xvi]
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Source: Zero Carbon Academy
A major problem with massive sectors like aviation, shipping, power, and chemicals relying on biomass to replace fossil fuels is that it is increasing pressure on land use. Each sector could individually use up most of the existing sustainable supply of biomass.[xvii] Material Economics estimates that, at most, an additional 15% of sustainable biomass could be gained from existing European forests and waste biomass supplies.[xviii]
Considering the limited supply of biomass, the Biomass Strategy says,
“As sustainable biomass is a limited resource and future availability to the UK is uncertain, its use should be prioritised where it offers the greatest environmental, economic and social benefits.
“Opportunities for biomass use within each sector should be considered against other low carbon alternatives available to that sector. As a result, harder to decarbonise areas, technologies and sectors should be some of the priority uses of biomass.”[xix]
The land use demand of biomass is competing with the demands of the meat and dairy industry and future demands for nature restoration and carbon storage. The Land Gap Report has calculated that 1.2 billion hectares of land is needed to meet the projected biological carbon removal in national climate pledges.[xx] This is the equivalent of current global cropland. Essentially, countries are over-relying on land-based carbon removal to an unrealistic extent, and the need for more sustainable biomass adds to the pressure on land.
Mentioned in the Biomass Strategy was the challenge of not compromising food security. The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Land mentions how climate change mitigation efforts that require large land areas, including bioenergy, are highly likely to compete with existing uses of land.[xxi] This could not only increase food prices but also lead to further agricultural intensification through increased fertiliser and water use, which can lead to water and air pollution and a loss of biodiversity. The government has responded to this by stating that biomass decisions will always consider food security and by providing £36 million ($44.88 million USD) to two Biomass Feedstock Innovation Programme projects.[xxii]
[i] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[iii] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[iv] National Grid- How much of the UK’s energy is renewable?
[v] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[vi] Ibid
[vii] Ibid
[viii] Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy- Biomass Policy Statement
[ix] Ibid
[x] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Powering up Britain: Energy Security Plan
[xi] Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy- Biomass Policy Statement
[xii] BBC- The Green Energy Scandal & Green Alliance- The UK’s biomass strategy needs to head off a fight over scarce resources
[xiii] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[xiv] Ørsted- Ørsted awarded contract – will capture and store 430,000 tonnes of biogenic CO2
[xv] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[xvi] Ibid
[xvii] Green Alliance- The UK’s biomass strategy needs to head off a fight over scarce resources
[xviii] Material Economics- EU Biomass Use in a Net-Zero Economy: A course correction for EU biomass
[xix] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
[xxi] IPCC- Special Report: Climate Change and Land
[xxii] Department for Energy Security and Net Zero- Biomass Strategy
Gemma recently graduated with a degree in International Development. She is currently studying for an MSc in Sustainable Urbanism, which examines urban planning and urban design through a sustainability lens. “I’m passionate about addressing sustainability challenges in a holistic and pragmatic way. Zero Carbon Academy's diverse range of services targets many of the areas that need support if we are to transition to a liveable future. I’m excited to see the impact that the Academy makes.”
