In brief

• New campaigning page set up on Back Biomass website
• MP Committee to discuss biomass
• Rebutting myths and media news
• Next APPG meeting

 

Call for Action: help safeguard biomass in the new Energy Bill!

With the House of Commons back after its Easter Recess, we now understand the next stage of the Energy Bill is going to take place after the Queen’s Speech on 8 May.  The Bill is crucial for the biomass industry, but risks being hijacked by an aggressive lobbying campaign against biomass.

There is a real risk that, if MPs don’t fully appreciate the weight of public support for biomass, measures could be passed in the Bill which would stop a large number of new plants from being built - a terrible outcome for our economy and our energy future.

We have added a section to our www.backbiomass.co.uk website where you can easily get in touch with your local MP to show your support for low-carbon, sustainable and cost-effective biomass power and chp. All you need to do is fill in your details and your local MP’s email, then press send!

We encourage you to use and share this tool to get in touch with your MP to show your support for biomass!

MP Committee to discuss bioenergy

The Energy and Climate Change Committee has announced it will hold a one-off inquiry into bioenergy. It will look at the potential for biomass to contribute towards the UK’s energy policy objectives, the ability of the industry to meet the scale required and what challenges they face in doing so.

The Committee is welcoming written evidence from the industry. This is a fantastic opportunity to explain the benefits of biomass and we encourage you to submit evidence to emphasise the contribution it makes to energy security, jobs and growth. The deadline is 23 April and you can submit online here.

Please feel free to use the documents on our website, such as our Mythbuster and Factsheets which you can find in our online library.

 

Rebutting myths and media news

Earlier in the month, The Economist (April 6^th edition) claimed that biomass is environmentally unsustainable and raises wood prices.  The Back Biomass campaign has written a line-by-line rebuttal pointing out the many factual inaccuracies from this otherwise reputable publication and putting the record straight on low-carbon generation, cost-effectiveness, wood prices, sustainability and the role of biomass alongside other wood industries. A similar response from the Back Biomass campaign has also recently been published on The Ecologist website.

In good news, DECC recently announced that the share of power generation from bioenergy in the U.K. increased by 17 percent, from 13 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2011 to 15.2 TWh in 2012. Meanwhile, plans for a biomass plant in Dundee have taken a step forward after a study suggested its impact on local air pollution would be negligible. And what better endorsement for biomass than the Queen herself! It was announced that the Crown Estate in Windsor has submitted a planning application to construct a biomass boiler at Russell’s Farm, using woodchips from its forests.

Please see our newsroom for all the latest news in the sector!

 

Next APPG meeting

The next meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Biomass Group will be a joint meeting alongside the All Party Parliamentary Maritime and Ports Group and the All Party Parliamentary Rail Group:

“Biomass – Benefiting the UK’s Ports and Railways”

Tuesday 30th April 2013 - 5.00pm – 6.00pm in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, House of Commons

The All Party Groups invite you to hear and discuss the views of:

• Stephen Hammond MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (invited)
• John Fitzgerald, Port Director, Grimsby & Immingham
• Martin Wilks, Director, Coal & Deputy Managing Director, Freightliner

 

on how biomass benefits these industries

Chaired by Nigel Adams, MP, Chairman, APPG Biomass

RSVP

To register attendance or for further information please contact [email protected] or call 020 7618 9155

 

Opportunity to reach wider audience

DCM Productions, which produces bespoke business-to-business publications, is producing an annual industry review of new technologies and state-of-the-art development across the biomass sector. The production team is looking to make contact with any participants in the sector who might like to be involved. Examples of their previous work can be found at www.dcm-productions.co.uk . Please contact Chris at if you are interested in taking part. Please note, this is not associated or necessarily endorsed by the Back Biomass campaign or its members.

 

The Back Biomass campaign

As ever, get all the latest Back Biomass news by following us @BackBiomass. Please send us case studies and any examples which showcase the benefits of biomass.

Please download and share these key documents to show the benefits of biomass. If you have any great stories, do get in touch at and visit our website www.backbiomass.co.uk