Forth Energy has denied claims that its proposed biomass generator for Dundee docks might not be carbon neutral until the middle of the century.
A report by the Manomet Centre for Conservation Sciences, based in Massachusetts, claims that biomass generators would carry a “carbon debt” for decades after their construction.
It says that in the first years of a biomass plant’s existence, it is no more environmentally friendly than burning coal and can even produce more CO2 in its early years.
“For biomass replacement of coal-fired power plants, the net cumulative emissions in 2050 are approximately equal to what they would have been burning coal,” the report states.
However, it only looks at biomass generators that are sourced from sustainable forests not those that also burn material from other sources.
Forth Energy wants to build a biomass plant on Dundee docks, as well as similar facilities in Leith, Rosyth and Grangemouth.
Each plant would produce enough electricity to heat 160,000 homes, but would require a 100 metre tall stack to be built at each location.
A spokeswoman for the company said they would burn a range of material, and not just rely on wood from forests.
“Forth Energy’s proposals for renewable energy plants at the ports of Leith, Grangemouth, Rosyth and Dundee will be designed to generate energy from the combustion of a specific range of biomass material wood chips or pellets and recovered biomass materials like used wood, paper and cardboard,” she said.
“Biomass is a low carbon source of renewable energy that offers significant benefits over traditional fossil fuels.
“The Scottish Institute of Sustainable Technology have carried out a ‘life-cycle’ carbon footprinting study, taking into account the production and processing of the fuels, and transport of the fuels from Europe and North America to the port location, that demonstrates that electricity generated by the proposed renewable energy plants will create a saving of around 90% of the emissions of a traditional coal-fired power station.Opportunity”Sustainable biomass generation offers an opportunity to move away from electricity and heat generated from fossil fuels to a lower carbon source.”
She added the biomass plants would help the Scottish Government to meet its targets to reduce emissions by 2020.
“In addition, renewable heat supplies will also be available and will contribute to Scotland’s renewable heat targets of 11% of heat to be generated by renewable sources by 2020.”
Meanwhile the Wood Panel Industries Federation has claimed that thousands of jobs could be lost in Scotland because of the proliferation of biomass plants.
In Scotland there are three factories making wood panels used in construction.
However, wood panels are made from the same virgin and reclaimed wood that biomass generators burn and WPIF say government subsidies will allow the biomass generators to pay double what panel makers can afford.
According to WPIF research, prices have already risen by more than 30% over the past four years.
Alastair Kerr, director general of the WPIF, said, “Our research proves categorically that the Government’s renewable energy policies specifically support for biomass are directly damaging the competitiveness of the wood panel industry in the UK, which is wholly reliant on domestically-sourced wood.Prices”If nothing is done to amend this policy, wood prices could potentially rise to a point where they meet that paid by generators for imported material.
“This will put thousands of jobs in the UK wood panel and associated industries at risk and has the potential to escalate costs for the construction and furniture industries.
“Consumers of UK-sourced products, who are already paying for the subsidy through their electricity bills, cannot escape the impact of this distortion.”
Steve Roebuck, director of environmental affairs at wood panel makers Norbord, which has a factory near Stirling, added, “The Government is putting too great an emphasis on large-scale wood-fired electricity and, by subsidising generators’ ability to pay for fuel, they are threatening to destroy an industry that adds economic value and brings environmental benefit through carbon storage.
“We are not anti-biomass and, indeed, as an industry we have pioneered the burning of our process-derived wood waste to generate heat and power.”
Opposition groups have also raised concerns about the biomass plants’ effect on the environment, while in Dundee, there are also fears that building the chimney would undermine the ongoing redevelopment of the waterfront.