The All-Party Group is concerned about the impact of unrestrained growth in co-fired power generation on the wood panel industry and other biomass-using industries across the United Kingdom.

This industry is under significant threat as a result of the massive increase in dedicated biomass power generation and co-firing, incentivised by the Government’s Renewables Obligation. In the UK, the main source of biomass is wood currently utilised by the wood processing industries.

This not only distorts the competitiveness of the industry, but also has implications for domestic wood supply, as large-scale electricity generators switch from imported fossil fuels to domestically sourced wood.

The wood panel industry subscribes to the Waste Hierarchy, re-processing post-consumer reclaimed wood that would otherwise go to landfill. Encouraging the first use and recycling of woody biomass into products is the most environmentally friendly option, rather than seeing high grade wood that could be recycled by other industries, incinerated by energy providers.

The wood panel industry fully supports the drive towards sustainable renewable energy sources.

The industry is not opposed to the sustainable use of wood for fuel, but believes that the primary feedstock for biomass power stations should be limited to purpose-grown energy crops.

The industry seeks to achieve a level playing field between the energy sector and the wood panel industry, a reduction of the excessive subvention to co-firers and a concerted uptake of dedicated energy crops or biomass from non-product related materials to meet renewable energy goals.