In mid-December, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) published a white paper explaining how the country will clean up its energy system and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. The main way of achieving this goal will be through bioenergy carbon capture and storage (BECCS) and renewable natural gases (RNG). BEIS estimates that the measures listed in the white paper could reduce emissions across transport, buildings and industrial sectors by up to 230MtCO2e by 2032 and support up to 220,000 jobs per year by 2030.
Biomass Strategy in 2022
According to the white paper, the UK government prepares to release a brand-new Biomass Strategy in 2022, describing just how the renewable resource can best be used to help the UK reach its net-zero emission goals. And much of that goal is to be achieved through BECCS according to the publication. The government is currently focusing on publishing an additional paper by mid this year titled “Biomass for net-zero” to provide further evidence to support the strategy.
The UK Renewable Energy Association has spoken up in support of the white paper publication.
We welcome the continued commitment to renewables and the green transition (…), especially the recognition that energy efficiency must be prioritised alongside new capacity. While there is little new on the renewables side, the commitment to EV funding, and recognition of biomass a ‘strategic sector’ is welcome as is certainty on the successor ETS scheme for the UK.
said Nina Skorupska, chief executive of the REA.
The white paper published by the UK government does not look at the energy production and distribution system in isolation. In fact, it considers the road to net-zero across many sectors of industry. There are many further consultations to come next year, but this feels like a key milestone, the first step on a journey that is now more mapped out.
More info
You can find a full copy of the white paper here: UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
