AUSTRALIA — Conservationists say suggestions that north coast New South Wales forest residues could be burnt as a power source are an outrage that will not be accepted by consumers. New research by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has analysed timber production areas surrounding Grafton, Kempsey and Bulahdelah on the NSW north coast. It found there were enough residues in the forests and sawmills to power more than 200,000 homes a year. But National Parks Association senior ecologist Oisín Sweeney said it was hard to imagine a worse idea. He said evidence from Europe showed the adoption of biomass power was driving deforestation in Russia, Canada, the USA, Slovakia, Italy, Spain and Finland.