Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how much has been given in subsidies to biomass plants in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Biomass plants are currently eligible for support under the Renewables Obligation (RO) and the Contracts for Difference (CfD) schemes.

The latest available annual data on support paid to biomass plants^[1] relates to plants accredited under the RO for 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16.

The figures have been derived by collating the number of RO certificates^[2] issued to the technology group of ‘biomass’ in a financial year and multiplying this by the associated buy-out price^[3]. Both sets of data are published by Ofgem. CfD payments for one project have commenced end of December and are therefore not included.

[1] DECCFCSJ-375-221137

[2] https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/

[3] https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications-and-updates/renewables-obligation-ro-buy-out-price-44-33-and-mutualisation-ceilings-2015-16