The UK Conservative Party is now opposing Drax's plans to fit its Selby biomass station with Beccs (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage) technology, reported The Times.
Although the Conservatives had previously approved the proposals, Claire Coutinho, shadow net zero secretary, said the case for the scheme 'simply unravelled' on closer inspection.
She said: “We cannot go green by burning trees at huge cost to the public. If the widespread burning of forests is part of the solution to climate change, then we have to ask ourselves what problem we are trying to solve.”
Phil MacDonald, managing director at Ember, welcomed Coutinho’s comments, saying she could help bring the scheme to an end.
“It’s already a complex long-term project that wouldn’t even begin in this parliament,” he said. “We now know that a possible next government would not support it.”
He said the scheme would 'soak up' billions of pounds in R&D, which could be used for other applications.
However, Mark Sommerfeld, deputy director of policy, REA (Association for Renewable Energy and Clean Technology), said Coutinho's claims are 'counter to the science-based scenarios' for achieving a secure and affordable decarbonised system.
He pointed out that the need for sustainable biomass - and therefore Beccs - has been repeatedly recognised by the Climate Change Committee, as well as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
As well as that, the last Conservative government, in power until July this year, highlighted the 'critical importance' of Beccs in its 2023 Biomass Strategy.
"The ability for biomass to deliver carbon removals in the form of Beccs is critical to achieving net zero," said Sommerfeld. "Last year the Government’s Chief Scientific Officer for DESNZ concluded that that there is no scientific reason as to why Beccs cannot be delivered sustainably in the UK. We already know we’re likely to need 44-112 MtCO₂ of engineered removals per year by 2050 to meet net zero, and the CCC’s balanced pathway sees Beccs facilities delivering a large proportion of these as one of the most advanced and ready to deploy solutions."
He continued: "Government investment is needed to achieve this, as with any new generation, but delivery of jobs, skills, and avoiding costs of climate change will deliver real economic returns. What’s more, demand for carbon removals is growing and the UK has an opportunity to play a critical role in leading that market, increasing investment opportunities. Consistent policy, accompanied by strong sustainability regulation, is allowing BECCS to be deployed commercially and cost effectively, helping us achieve net zero and realise the new Government’s Clean Power by 2030 mission."
UK Conservatives backtrack on Beccs support
