Environmental protection cheerleader Greenpeace has slammed the increased burning of wood for energy, saying biomass power plants put Canadian forests at risk.
In a new report, Fuelling a BioMess, Greenpeace argues that the large-scale use of wood and tree harvesting for heating, power generation or liquid biofuels could have serious consequences for ecosystems in Canada.
“The amount of wood being burnt in power plants or turned into liquid fuels is growing exponentially without the public’s knowledge and little government oversight or regulation,” commented Nicolas Mainville, Greenpeace Canada forest campaigner.
The report challenges claims that biomass power production is clean and carbon-neutral, adding that the demand for biomass can no longer be met by traditional waste stream sources leftover from saw and pulp mills.
In fact, Greenpeace claims the amount of wood and other tree parts cut from Canadian forests could more than double under new bioenergy policies across the country.
In B.C., the provincial government has actively sought out biomass power developers in an effort to support renewable power sources, and also improve the economics of a struggling forest industry.
In fact, forest companies such as Conifex Timber (TSX-V:CFF) have built bioenergy power revenue into their business model. (See “Saw bucks” – issue 1120; April 12-18.)
Meantime, the global biomass industry has also given rise to a homegrown wood pellet sector in B.C., creating jobs and tax revenue for municipalities and the province.
But Greenpeace believes the whole sector needs to be put under the microscope.
“Using woody biomass to produce energy should be restricted to local, small-scale uses of mill residues,” Mainville said. “Before we continue to approve new projects, public hearings, a full accounting of the climate and biodiversity footprint and life-cycle analyses of those projects are needed.”
Joel McKay
@jmckaybiv