Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, if he will estimate the amount of carbon emitted to the UK atmosphere by subsidised generation of (a) heat by biomass boilers and (b) electricity by biomass power stations in the last 30 years.

The Renewable Heat Incentive is subject to on-going evaluation and monitoring which has not yet completed and so emissions data are not available at present from subsidised biomass boilers used to generate heat. DECC will also be conducting a detailed monitoring and evaluation programme for biomass heat systems and has recently issued a tender to establish the methodology of how this could be done.

In addition DECC is introducing mandatory biomass sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) criteria for both its heat and power support schemes which will mean biomass will be required to deliver a minimum 60% GHG emission saving relative to the EU fossil fuel average.