One of DECC’s main objectives is to bring about the transition to a low-carbon economy.
Renewable fuels, materials and products can be derived from a wide range of crops and other biomass including forestry, agricultural residues and other organic waste. They can substitute for fossil or mineral resources for the production of various products and therefore help mitigate climate change.
Biomass can provide:
Benefits
These renewable fuels and materials can provide a wide range of benefits. In particular, they can help to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gases. Carbon is absorbed from the atmosphere during the growth of the plant. When used as a fuel the carbon is released back into the atmosphere. By comparison, the use of fossil fuels such as oil and coal releases carbon captured millions of years ago and so adds to the overall carbon emissions to the atmosphere.
When biomass is used in industrial materials and products, the absorbed carbon is locked away for the lifetime of the material, therefore reducing carbon present in the atmosphere.
The carbon savings from biomass can vary widely because the savings are offset by the fossil energy that is used for cultivation (such as fertilisers), harvesting, processing and transportation. Major land use change, particularly deforestation and draining of peat bogs, can completely negate the carbon saving, as well as cause damage to biodiversity and other ecosystem resources. It is therefore critical that biomass resources are grown sustainably to:
- benefit the environment and public health by cutting waste and pollution
- improve biodiversity and reduce pressure on the earth’s finite fossil and mineral resources
- stimulate rural communities by establishing local industries, increasing job opportunities and providing increased consumer choice
- improve the economic competitiveness of industry and further strengthen the UK’s scientific base by developing new markets and innovative, often high value added products.
The UK Biomass Strategy
The UK Biomass Strategy launched in May 2007 provides a framework for the sustainable development of biomass based renewable fuels and materials in the UK.
The National Non-Food Crops Centre
The National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC) is the UK's centre for renewable materials and technologies. It gives independent advice and information to industry, Government Departments and the general public. Established in 2003 and sponsored by DECC, the NNFCC helps build supply chains for plant-derived renewable materials.
The Biomass Energy Centre
The Biomass Energy Centre (BEC) is a 'one stop shop' for anyone in the UK with an interest in biomass derived solid, liquid and gaseous fuels and associated conversion technologies. Set up in April 2006, it is owned and managed by the UK Forestry Commission, via Forest Research, its research agency.