46 groups send letter opposing Cordemais biomass conversion

A letter written on behalf of 46 groups including environmental, climate and social justice organisations urges the EU not to proceed with proposals to permit the Cordemais power station to be kept open beyond 2021 by burning a mix of biomass and coal.

Referring to the Paris agreement, the groups state that keeping global warming to 1.5 or even 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels requires an end to the burning of fossil fuels.

“We believe that the power station must be shut down no later than the end of 2021 and that EDF should not be permitted to proceed with its proposed conversion to biomass,” the groups stated in the letter.

According to the release, burning coal beyond 2022 is incompatible with the Paris agreement, as is converting any or most of a coal power station into burning biomass.

“Allowing the Cordemais power station to stay open with a partial or total conversion to biomass would undermine the French government’s ambition to show international leadership in climate change mitigation,” continued the group.

“The only type of biomass that can be used in power stations such as Cordemais (other than for low levels of co-firing), is white pellets made from clean wood, sourced from slow-growing trees, and with a low bark content.”

You can read the letter here.