Consultation response for sustainable use of biomass in the UK

Posted: 16 June 2021

CIBSE is grateful for the opportunity to respond to this call for evidence relating to sustainable use of biomass in the UK. CIBSE supports the development of Government strategies which are holistic, adopt a systems based approach and do not allow pursuit of one policy objective to the clear detriment of another. In the case of biomass it is important that measures of its sustainability address a range of factors including greenhouse gas emissions and air quality.

It is important to note that biomass installations in urban environments have a negative impact on air quality both directly due to the particulate emissions from the biomass burners, and indirectly due to the emissions associated with fuel delivery. CIBSE considers that there are limited large scale and rural application of biomass which may meet sustainability criteria and not compromise air quality.