Monday, 30 April 2012

Biomass power subsidies attract criticism north of the border

Scottish Parliament ministers have joined forces with environmental campaigners to protest the payment of public-funded subsidies to biomass power stations.
MSPs lent their support to demonstrations organised by Friends of the Earth, Biofuelwatch and several other organisations. The campaigners claim that firms like Forth Energy are set to receive as much as £170 million each year from the public purse to help fund their plans to develop biomass power stations around Scotland.
Those opposing the power plants are against the burning of huge areas of forest to generate power. Emilia Hanna of Biofuelwatch, told the Press Association, "This trend is being mirrored across the globe, leading to the destruction of the world's forests, which are vital carbon sinks in the fight against climate change. The biomass industry is being artificially inflated by heavy subsidies."
One of the ministers adding her voice to the protests was Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who added that other renewable sources of energy, such as wind and wave power can be used instead of timber. She said, "Burning trees for electricity on a large-scale is totally inefficient and a waste of money in a country with a world-leading renewables industry that needs investment."
For more information on the campaign to protect forests from biomass projects, go to the Make Wood Work website
Monday, April 23, 2012http://images.newsvend.info/127435-183133-large.jpghttp://images.newsvend.info/127435-183133-2544.jpg

http://www.norbord.co.uk/news/biomass-power-subsidies-attract-criticism-north-border

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