This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Biomass industry shows jobs potential
31/01/2005
Scotland's fledgling biomass industry has the potential
to create over 2,000 jobs and generate enough 'green'
electricity to power around 100,000 homes, according to a
new study.
The report into biomass - a renewable energy which uses
carbon neutral energy crops - focuses on wood fuel and is
published today by the Forum for Renewable Energy
Development in Scotland (FREDS).
Enterprise Minister and Chair of FREDS Jim Wallace, said
:
"This report underlines the vast and varied natural
resources that Scotland has and charts a way forward so
that we can make the best use of wood fuels and other
carbon neutral energy crops.
"We must seize the opportunities that we have to
generate green power and create green jobs.
"The Executive has set an ambitious target of generating
40 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2020. To do
this we must support a wide range of renewable energy
industries.
"This report makes clear that biomass can play an
important role, and I will continue working with industry
to take forward its recommendations."
Jeremy Sainsbury of Natural Power, who chaired the
Biomass Energy Group, said:
"Thanks to all members of the group from across the
industry who worked together to produce this report.
"We have identified that Scotland has the potential to
deliver a substantial amount of electricity from biomass,
by between 2010 and 2015 - ahead of the DTI's forecast for
delivery.
"We now know that Scotland has the resources to lead the
way in biomass development in the UK."
Benefits of biomass include :
- Carbon neutral
- Can be stored and used on demand so free from
intermittency problems
- Fuel can be obtained from by-products of Scotland's
forestry industry
The report - Promoting and Accelarating the Market
Penetration of Biomass Technology in Scotland - sets out
actions that need to be taken if biomass is to reach its
potential.
These include :
- Setting up a biomass energy network
- Public sector support to stimulate demand
- Assessment of wood fuel resource
- New plants to be situated as close as possible to
areas of wood-fuel availability
- Updated Executive guidance to local authorities on
planning and other issues raised by biomass development
(as part of planned review of planning process)
The Biomass Energy Group is made up of industry
representatives, stakeholder groups, the NFU Scotland, the
Forestry Commission and representatives of the renewables
industry.
Scotland has a substantial and expanding resource from
managed woodlands and secondary sawmills products. Some 60
per cent of the UK's forestry resource is in Scotland.
Carbon neutral means that the use of biomass to generate
electricity does not create additional CO2.