Environmental groups in the US have objected to plans to build a biomass burner in Dundee because they claim it will destroy American forests.
A coalition of US environmental and forestry groups have written to the Scottish Government claiming Forth Energy’s plans to source North American wood for biomass power stations in Dundee, Leith, Grangemouth and Rosyth are unsustainable.
Their letter claims the four plants will require 3.6 million tonnes of wood a year from Florida alone, which will put too much pressure on US forests.
The coalition’s letter accuses the company behind plans to source the wood for Scottish biomass plants of “greenwash.” They claim Scots plants would be relying on wood from forests approved by the controversial Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), as no exporter in Florida is certified by the independent Forestry Stewardship Council.
Environmentalists claim the SFI, which is run by the timber industry itself, gives a “green” seal of approval to companies while ignoring their environmentally unfriendly practices.
The letter is signed by signed by Biofuelwatch/Energy Justice Network, Biomass Accountability Project, Center for Biological Diversity, Dogwood Alliance, Friends of the Earth US and Save Americas Forests.
It states, “Given the massive quantities of wood most of it imported from our forests that Forth Energy facilities would burn, the inefficiency of biomass electricity generation, the emerging science indicating bioelectricity is not necessarily ‘carbon neutral’ or ‘clean’, the human health impacts of emissions and the unreliability of SFI forest certification schemes, we call on the Scottish Government to reject Forth Energy’s proposed facilities in Scotland.”
Friends of the Earth spokesman Francis Stuart said, “We already know Forth Energy’s proposals don’t stack up in the Scottish context because they plan to burn wood in an incredibly inefficient manner, for electricity rather than heat.
“This new evidence from across the Atlantic compounds the case against these damaging developments.”
However, Forth Energy maintains all wood used in the biomass burners will come from sustainable sources.
Managing director Calum Wilson said, “Forth Energy proposes to use only sustainably-sourced fuel from purpose-grown and managed forestry.
“All fuel will be sourced from forestry activities that have been certified as sustainable by an internationally recognised third party.
“This means, as a minimum, any trees harvested will be replaced. In so doing, Forth Energy shall ensure the fuel procurement process maintains high standards on environmental, social and economic grounds.
“Studies conducted by SIStech at Heriot-Watt University have confirmed that the proposed Forth Energy renewable energy plants would represent less than 0.5% of the global demand for biomass for electricity production,” he said.
“Forth Energy’s demand, in global terms, will be small. The study asserts that there will be more than enough biomass fuel to supply global demand.”
Forth Energy claims building the biomass generator on land south of the Nynas refinery at King George Wharf, Dundee, will be worth over £26 million a year to the local economy.
It says up to 500 jobs will be created during the construction phase and around 40 full-time jobs once it is up and running. It will produce enough electricity for 160,000 homes but will require the construction of a 100-metre (325ft) chimney at the docks.