Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 12 September 2016 to Question 45332, for what reasons the use of wood which has not reached the end of its useful life attracts subsidies and not penalties for emissions of carbon dioxide; and if he will make a statement.

In order to receive government support for heat and power generation from biomass, all biomass must now comply with the UK’s sustainability criteria. This includes a minimum 60% lifecycle greenhouse gas saving and for the biomass to be from a sustainable source.

Forestry Commission research found that optimal GHG emission savings can be achieved when harvested wood is used primarily for timber where possible, with energy produced alongside it as a co-product. This is summarised at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/bioenergy-strategy-supplementary-note-carbon-impacts-of-forest-biomass-november-2012