The US Industrial Pellet Association (USIPA) welcomes the United Kingdom’s Biomass Strategy, which underscores the essential role that sustainable biomass plays in supporting the country’s energy security and its path to net zero.
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Released by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on August 10, 2023, the Biomass Strategy makes clear that sustainable, well-regulated biomass is a vital tool for helping to deliver Net Zero across power, heat, and transport.
Graham Stuart, the Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero in the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero commented that biomass has an “extraordinary” future potential for transport, heat, and electricity.
Of note, the strategy also includes a priority role for Bioenergy Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), which is seen as critical for meeting net zero plans as it can provide large-scale carbon removals.
The policy paper makes clear the UK intends to realize this full potential, setting out steps the government will take to strengthen biomass sustainability criteria and capitalize on opportunities to use sustainable biomass to decarbonize multiple sectors of its economy.
We applaud the United Kingdom and its agencies for setting a clear policy pathway and vision for the continued use of biomass in its overarching goals to Net Zero. Biomass is a component in both reducing and removing emissions associated with energy demand to reach the island’s climate goals, said Amandine Muskus, Executive Director at USIPA.
Large and sustainably managed wood fibre basket
USIPA highlights that the US Southeast is the world’s leading region for wood pellet exports and the UK’s largest supplier of woody biomass.
This region has been the center of America’s forest products industry since the early 20th century and is one of the largest and most sustainably managed wood baskets in the world.
Scientific research continues to show it is a sustainable and dependable sourcing area for woody biomass that can help meet growing demand while maintaining healthy forests and balanced carbon stocks.
According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), wood volume in this region has increased by 21 percent since 2000, and southeastern landowners are currently growing 43 percent more wood than they remove every year.
Independent analysis shows this trend is also consistent within the local sourcing areas surrounding multiple biomass production plants.
As noted by forest economists, forest stocks have been increasing in the US Southeast because markets for wood products, like biomass, provide financial incentives for private landowners to keep investing in the continual cycle of thinning, harvesting, and replanting trees.
Sustainability is paramount to ensuring biomass delivers tangible climate benefits while supporting healthy forests and protecting biodiversity. We look forward to continued dialogue and working with UK partners and leaders to ensure our members can continue to support the UK’s decarbonization efforts with a stable supply of sustainable biomass, ended Amandine Muskus.
