- ETC says that biomass use should be limited to ensure sustainability.
- Biomass production should not compete with other productive land use or negatively impact biodiversity and ecosystems.
The global think-tank, Energy Transitions Commission (ETC), has warned that biomass use should be limited to applications with no cheaper or available alternatives to decrease the risk of demand for bioresources exceeding sustainable supply.
In its latest report, ‘ Bioresources Within a Net-Zero Emissions Economy: Making a Sustainable Approach Possible’, ETC notes that biomass production should not compete with other land use, trigger deforestation or impact biodiversity and ecosystem negatively. Biomass for energy purposes should be sourced from waste and residues, energy crops on degraded and marginal lands and limited to where current crop or pastureland can be released, the ETC said.
“Biomass can make a really valuable contribution to the world’s decarbonisation. But truly sustainable biomass is limited in volume, so its use must be restricted to priority sectors where alternative decarbonisation options don’t exist,” said ETC chair Adair Turner.
“The good news is that clean electrification and hydrogen often provide a cheaper solution. The challenge for policymakers is to develop those alternatives fast while supporting targeted use of biomass where it is most needed – in materials, aviation and for carbon removals — with constant attention to ensuring the supply of biomass is truly sustainable,” Turner adds.