The government has today launched a consultation on how to
support the development of biomass energy generation with
associated carbon captured in the UK over the next
decade.
Known as BECCS (Bioenergy
with Carbon Capture and Storage), this technology generates
energy from biomass, sustainable plant material, while storing
the carbon released in the process through carbon capture, usage
and storage (CCUS) technology. This
uniquely offers the potential to produce home-grown energy with
‘negative emissions’ – removing carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere, as the CO2 absorbed during the growth of
the biomass can then be permanently removed from the atmosphere
using carbon capture technologies.
The consultation launched today seeks views on how the government
can help attract private investment to accelerate the development
of this nascent industry, to help boost Britain’s energy
security, while also supporting new job opportunities across the
country including industrial clusters developing carbon capture
networks.
Business Secretary said:
The government is fully behind biomass energy to provide
more power in Britain, for Britain.
The more clean power we generate within the UK, the less exposed
we’ll all be to volatile gas markets that are pushing up bills.
Today’s plans could create an entirely new industry in our
country, using sustainable biomass in a way that absorbs harmful
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
With these reforms, we will boost domestically-produced, cheaper
and cleaner sources of energy to power Britain into the future.
The consultation launched today follows £37 million government
funding awarded earlier this month to innovative biomass
projects across the UK.
Biomass refers to sustainably derived plant material that can be
used as fuel to produce energy for heating and powering homes and
businesses. Backed by the independent Climate Change Committee,
biomass will form an important part of the UK’s future renewable
energy mix, which will be vital for ensuring the UK’s energy
security and reducing reliance on expensive fossil fuels. Biomass
generates enough renewable energy to power 4 million homes
The consultation launched today follows a commitment set out in
the Net Zero
Strategy to support the role of Greenhouse Gas Removal
technology, including the ambition to remove 5 million tonnes of
greenhouse gases per year from the atmosphere by 2030. It also
builds on the Expression of Interest for greenhouse gas removal
projects launched earlier this year as part of the government’s
carbon capture and storage programme.
Power BECCS provides
a significant opportunity to deliver negative emissions that will
be crucial to offset emissions from some of the most difficult to
decarbonise sectors, such as agriculture and aviation industries.
It can also bolster energy security and support the delivery of a
fully decarbonised power system by 2035.
The consultation, which will run until October, will seek views
on our early proposals including the main design elements of the
business model and actions the government can take to enable
deployment of this technology at scale, including steps to
encourage the development of this industry, and address any
possible barriers to investment.
