REA comments on Sandbag’s Playing with Fire Report
Dr Nina Skorupska, Chief Executive of REA commented:
“The statement ‘biomass risks accelerating climate change’ is disingenuous when existing sustainability practices are not considered within this review. Sustainable biomass power has a really important part to play in decarbonisation, by using wooden pellets that are a waste product; we can keep fossil fuels in the ground. Sandbag is ignoring a huge amount of evidence and glosses over the world-leading sustainability criteria already in place across the EU and especially in the UK.
The REA wants to build a future on renewable energy and clean technology, and we are fully behind biomass power. All modelled scenarios, whether from the Committee on Climate Change, The IPCC or The International Energy Agency, identify biomass as having an essential role to play in meeting future decarbonisation targets both in regards to power and heat.
Decarbonising our energy systems will not be realised through knee jerk policymaking. It is the job of Government policy, industry and further stakeholders to ensure that these risks are mitigated as the industry grows. This is exactly what is happening with biomass, so that we can be completely confident that, when used sustainably, it delivers demonstrable decarbonisation within a wider renewable energy system.”
—ENDS—
For more information or to request an interview, please contact
Amy MacConnachie
Head of External Affairs
07903510060
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Notes to Editor
- The full report from Sandbag can be found here: https://sandbag.org.uk/project/playing-with-fire/
About the REA
The REA is the UK’s largest trade association for renewable energy and clean technologies with around 550 members operating across heat, transport, and power. The REA is a not-for-profit organisation that represents renewable energy and clean technology companies operating in over fourteen sectors, ranging from biogas and renewable fuels to solar and electric vehicle charging. Membership ranges from major multinationals to sole traders.
For more information, visit: www.r-e-a.net