The larger repercussions of burning wood is impacting the European Union to rethink the idea of burning forest to generate electricity.
FREMONT, CA: European power plants have recently adopted burning wood to generate electricity instead of using coal, for which tons of wood is imported from different countries. The Renewable Energy Directive supports the new change and its use as well. The responsibility of importing wood from American forests to Europe was given to a trans-Atlantic industry. However, these transitions have several harmful impacts on climatic conditions, and the practice must be halted.
A committee of the European Parliament voted for a policy with substantial changes in subsidising biomass and managing emissions from burning it. The scheme is a part of broader climate agenda that would bring changes in generating electricity and target reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions in the future. However, this new plan is receiving negative feedback from various organisations stating that it is the most climate-wrecking policy that encourages the burning of forests in the name of renewable energy.
As the world is facing climate change, burning forests can massively contribute to the problem. It will take a century to reabsorb the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by burning forests. Burning wood releases a larger amount of carbon dioxide than the fossil fuels used to generate electricity. Therefore, European Union rules are eliminating public financial support for biomass and are beginning to count emissions from biomass as a serious issue.
Wood sourced from trees damaged by fire, pests, and diseases, are finding exceptions as they are primary woody biomass. This would reduce the amount of wood burned for energy, encourage the use of industrial waste, and focus on other forms of renewable energy. However, there are differences of opinion among European Union members as there are risks to market stability and willingness to invest in renewable energy. Reducing Europe’s biomass availability can also result in the region’s energy transition becoming more difficult.
Biomass has tremendously grown over the past decade, producing around 60 per cent of the European Union’s renewable energy. The wood-burning plants are operating, though they are not eligible for subsidies. Biomass has become profitable even without government support, which is a disturbing factor. The new transition policies will amplify climate risks such as flooding and landslides, and can largely affect American forests, where huge numbers of trees are cut for biomass.
The European Parliament is waiting for the policies to undergo some amendments required. Nonetheless, the local governments will intervene in the changing laws and employment policies to reduce the use of not just biomass but also bio-fuels in transportation.
