Biomass Electricity Subsidies: Deforestation

Lord Krebs Excerpts

Thursday 20th May 2021 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

The sustainability criteria are policed by Ofgem and, if firms do not meet them, the subsidies are withdrawn.

[Lord Krebs (CB) [V]]

My Lords, I declare my interests as recorded in the register. This is a contested topic with opposing views. The devil is in the detail, and rigorous scientific analysis is crucial. In this context, is the Minister aware of the independent analysis published in March 2021 by Resources for the Future showing that, in the south-eastern United States, demand for forest products such as biomass is associated with an increase in the area of forest in the region, as well as with a 30% increase in carbon storage in those forests over the past few decades?

[Lord Callanan (Con)]

Indeed. The noble Lord is an expert on this topic and is of course correct. He is also correct to say that this is an area of ongoing debate among the scientific community, and it is one that my department is following very closely by gathering the evidence. The latest scientific data will form part of our forthcoming biomass strategy.