Category Archives: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy

The harvesting and burning of forest biomass to produce energy continues to surge, according to a new report entitled Burning Up the Biosphere on near-term global production and demand for wood pellets. This growth comes despite scientists’ warnings of the industry’s harm to the climate and its contribution to deforestation — increasingly in the tropics. …By 2030, the supply of forest biomass for energy is projected to triple compared to 2021, after expanding by 50% between 2010 and 2021. That jump in wood pellet production to meet global demand will require a 13-fold increase in monoculture biomass plantations from current levels, especially in Southeast Asia. The ongoing conversion of native tropical forests to short-rotation plantations for crops, timber and wood pellets will continue being a significant driver of global deforestation. The report was produced by the Biomass Action Network of the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), an international forest advocacy group.

John Stulen

“News of recent paper mill closures and a log export slump may soon be replaced with more positive news logs and other forest resources”, says Rotorua-based forest technology specialist, John Stulen. “Scion has some excellent work streams completely focused on high value export products from across forest and fibre sector.” …Local scientists at Scion, are strongly represented in key biomaterial research focused on developing new sustainable products. For example a new effort – an international research programme, UPWEARS, aims to develop a sustainable e-textile (electrically-conductive textile) using cork, hemp, flax and paper byproducts, and develop ways to recycle and reuse textile waste. The overall aim is to contribute to a sustainable economy by unlocking the potential of bio-based and hybrid fabrics. …Another is a key technology startup collaboration between Scion and the New Zealand Product Accelerator. This will see a new forestry biofactory built in Rotorua soon.

Teresa Ribera

The EU will stick to its world-leading climate goals, the bloc’s economic competitiveness tsar has vowed, even as it prepares to water down some of the green policies to placate the bloc’s ailing industry. The EU’s Green Deal was launched in 2019 but has since come under assault from European companies complaining of high energy prices and stifling overregulation. Capitals are also concerned about moribund economic growth, while Donald Trump’s bonfire of US climate goals has increased calls for the bloc to rethink its entire approach. …European Commission VP Teresa Ribera set out the Commission’s plan for how to find that balance between sticking to climate goals and improving the continent’s flagging competitiveness. She promised to mobilise more than €100bn to support clean manufacturing. Another area of action will be to drastically cut the number of small and medium companies affected by existing environmental regulations.

Additional coverage:

• Associated Press: EU executive plans a major reset of economy as critics fear climate will suffer
• Phys.org: EU vows to slash red tape but stick to climate goals

The war in Ukraine has generated nearly 230mn tonnes of CO2-equivalent (CO2e) emissions since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, with forest fires significantly contributing to the increase, according to an analysis published on the third anniversary of the conflict. The study, conducted by the Initiative on Greenhouse Gas Accounting of War, found that in the past year alone emissions linked to the war had reached 55mn tonnes. Researchers attributed much of this increase to widespread fires caused mostly by warfare, exacerbated by extreme heat and dry conditions. “What stands out in the third year is that we’ve seen landscape fires, particularly forest fires, escalating,” said Lennard de Klerk, lead researcher at the non-profit group, in an interview with The Guardian. “They are double compared to the average of the previous two years and 20-25 times more than in peacetime.” Wildfires …burned through 92,100 hectares in 2024, more than twice the annual average of the preceding two years. 

Over the last 15 years, Chile has faced a devastating drought. Higher temperatures and lower rainfall have severely affected the country’s sclerophyllous forests—one of only five Mediterranean ecosystems in the world, best known for its hardy, evergreen vegetation. In the last few years, tree canopies have also browned at unprecedented levels, losing their green color and ability to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Additionally, deforestation—driven by urban expansion and the introduction of non-native tree species—has fragmented the forests into multiple, smaller patches… A study published Feb. 10 in the journal Science of the Total Environment estimates the level of risk faced by all individual sclerophyll forest stands, in the central and coastal zones of Chile, often at altitudes from 4,500 to 7,200 feet.

Norwegian forestry companies are making history by revolutionizing how timber is transported. Beginning in 2027, Viken AT Market and AT Skog will be the first in the forestry industry to ship timber on zero-emission vessels—a game-changing move that signals a dramatic shift toward sustainable maritime logistics. This breakthrough is made possible through a partnership with Skarv Shipping, which will provide vessels powered by ammonia and electricity, significantly reducing emissions compared to conventional diesel-powered ships. Norway’s timber industry plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, exporting approximately 1 million tons of timber annually to European markets. However, most of this transport has relied on traditional diesel-powered vessels, which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to push the industry forward, Viken AT Market is committing to zero-emission transport, securing a long-term shipping agreement with Skarv Shipping and Arriva Shipping.

In December 2024, Drax and Pathway Energy announced a multiyear deal that could see Drax supplying upward of 1 million metric tons of wood pellets to Pathway’s currently proposed sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant on the U.S. Gulf Coast. In the months leading up to the announcement, Drax had hinted at such prospects, indicating plans to develop a pipeline of biomass sales opportunities in North America, including in the SAF market. Drax CEO Will Gardiner confirmed as much during a November quarterly earnings call. Currently, Drax has 17 operational wood pellet production plants across North America and a 450,000-metric-ton facility under construction in Longview, Washington. While Drax is well known in the industrial wood pellet industry, Pathway Energy is a new and unique market participant.  Pellet Mill Magazine interviewed Pathway Energy CEO Steve Roberts to introduce the company, technology and plans.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is developing a national carbon credit system for the forestry sector, termed the Forest Carbon Offset (FCO) mechanism, to promote transparent carbon trading and prevent greenwashing. Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said: “The ministry has introduced the REDD+ financial framework. This initiative offers financial support to state governments for activities focused on forest conservation and ecosystem sustainability, particularly to mitigate climate change. A key component … is the FCO mechanism. It serves as the primary mechanism for generating carbon credits in the forestry sector for domestic and international markets. Our aim is to create a domestic carbon credit system aligned with international standards, including Verra and the Gold Standard, while ensuring competitive fees. This system is being developed with input from stakeholders”. 

Turkey is poor in oil and gas while its renewable energy sector is heavily reliant on a mix of hydro, wind and solar. But another element is heating up: biofuel – fuel derived directly from biomass, such as wood or plant matter – is gaining interest domestically and creating an export market not available to other renewables. Demand for and output of biomass pellets used in stoves, furnaces and heaters as an alternative to coal or wood to cope with Turkey’s often freezing winters have increased in recent years. Produced by crushing and compressing wood waste, the pellets have a higher per-kilo energy output than gas, coal or oil, and far lower emission levels, according to promoters. Studies estimate Turkey has the raw material to produce up to 1.8 million tonnes of pellets annually, although installed processing capacity has yet to reach this level.

Mercedes’ Formula 1 team have joined forces with nature-based carbon developer Chestnut Carbon to support high-quality carbon removal projects across the Southeastern United States. Aiming to deliver “impactful climate projects that scale the rejuvenation of damaged land”, the first initiative will involve restoring 200 hectares of degraded agricultural acreage into vibrant biodiverse forests through the planting of more than 260,000 native trees. Chestnut Carbon’s projects focus on land previously used for monocrops and methane-heavy cattle production, with the developer so far planting over 10 million trees with a diverse mix of native pine and 18 different hardwood species – efforts that will capture and remove over one million tonnes of carbon by 2040. While emissions reduction remain Mercedes F1’s “primary focus”, the team note that “some areas within our carbon footprint may have residual emissions which will require removals of the highest quality”.

HELSINKI — By the end of 2024, Stora Enso achieved a 53% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions, surpassing the target of a 50% reduction by 2030 from the 2019 base year. This milestone reflects the Group’s long-term commitment to proactive decarbonisation efforts. In 2021, Stora Enso set its ambition to align with the 1.5-degree scenario of the Paris Agreement with a target of absolute Scope 1 and 2 emission reduction by 50% by 2030 from the 2019 base year. The 53% reduction by the end of 2024 is mainly attributed to mitigation measures, such as fuel switches and improvements in energy efficiency, and the impact from site closures. While Stora Enso acknowledges this progress, the Group’s target is to maintain this level until 2030 and explore opportunities to further improve. “I am pleased to share this progress on our path towards net zero,” says Hans Sohlström, President and CEO, Stora Enso.

Surprise, surprise, a mighty £7bn of subsidies since 2012 have not been enough to get Drax to stand on its own feet. More bungs are required to keep the wood fires burning at the enormous power plant in North Yorkshire. The energy minister Michael Shanks at least sounded embarrassed. He railed against the “unacceptably large profits” Drax has made, said past subsidy arrangements “did not deliver a good enough deal for bill payers” and vowed that that the definition of a “sustainable” wood pellet would be tightened. But the bottom line is that the government has agreed to crank the subsidy handle once again, just at a slower rate. Why? As he didn’t quite put it, Drax has us over a barrel if we’re not prepared to use more gas to generate electricity. A renewables-heavy system needs firm, reliable power as backup. Transporting wood pellets from North America to burn in Yorkshire is deemed the solution.

LONDON – The UK government and Drax, opens new tab have agreed a deal that will halve the energy producer’s subsidies over 2027-2031, while ensuring the group uses more sustainable sources of woody biomass, the two sides said on Monday. Drax is Britain’s largest renewable power generator. With the help of government subsidies that run until 2027, it has converted four former coal plants to use biomass to provide around 6% of the country’s electricity. Following a consultation on extending the subsidies, the government said it “cannot allow Drax to operate in the way it has done before or with the level of subsidy it received in the past”. “Biomass currently plays an important role in our energy system, but we are conscious of concerns about sustainability and the level of subsidy biomass plants have received in the past,” Energy Minister Michael Shanks said in a statement, which did not disclose the exact figures of the subsidy.

Green campaigners fear ministers are poised to award billions of pounds in fresh subsidies to Drax power station, despite strong concerns that burning trees to produce electricity is bad for the environment. Drax burns wood to generate about 8% of the UK’s “green” power, and 4% of overall electricity. This is classed as “low-carbon” because the harvested trees are replaced by others that take up carbon from the atmosphere as they grow. But many studies have shown that wood burning harms the environment, by destroying forests, and because of the decades-long time lag between the immediate release of carbon dioxide CO2 from burning and the growth to maturity of replacement trees. Drax currently receives billions of pounds in subsidies from energy bill payers, at the rate of about £2m a day according to Greenpeace, but these are scheduled to run out in 2027. A government decision to continue the support payments beyond the cut-off could come on Monday.

Swedes and Finns have long monetized their forests. EU climate goals — seen as a threat to both family wealth and the two national economies — are fast becoming a lightning rod for anger. …In Sweden and neighboring Finland, forestry is, to all intents and purposes, a retail asset class. In Sweden, some 300,000 people own, in total, half of the country’s forests. In Finland, 60% of forests belong to 600,000 individuals. Owners like Velander have been able to work their land with relatively light regulations, generally free to harvest trees when and as they chose. The way these small forest owners traditionally manage their land is, they contend, also good for the climate. But this approach, along with their investments, is under threat from a growing number of European Union regulations aimed at protecting biodiversity and reducing the bloc’s carbon emissions. In Sweden and Finland these measures have been interpreted as a potential ban on logging. [to access the full story a Bloomberg subscription is required]

Finland’s forests, once a crucial carbon sink, have become a source of emissions, raising concerns over the country’s climate policy and carbon neutrality targets. According to the latest data from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE), Finland’s forests emitted 1.12 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023. This shift began gradually around 2010 and has accelerated since 2018. By 2021, Finland’s forests had transitioned from absorbing carbon to releasing it. The main causes are declining forest growth, increased logging, and rising emissions from forest soil. The land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector, which includes forests, emitted a total of 11.8 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2023. This makes it one of Finland’s largest emission sources, surpassing emissions from sectors such as agriculture. LUKE’s report highlights three key reasons behind the decline of Finland’s forest carbon sink.

Sari Maltala, a 46-year-old third-term Member of Parliament from Uusimaa, has started in her new role as minister of climate and the environment by emphasising the needs of the forest industry. Multala on Friday outlined at a press conference that the climate crisis and biodiversity loss are “fateful questions” for the planet that require “effective solutions”. She acknowledged that measures to strengthen the carbon sink of forests – the cornerstone of the national effort so achieve carbon neutrality by 2035 – are required but declined to specify the nature of such measures. When asked about the need to scale back logging volumes – one of the primary causes of the shrinking carbon sink – she took the opportunity to emphasise the needs of the forest industry. “The world’s climate can’t be saved by stopping logging in Finland,” she retorted.

A forest twice the size of Greater London would need to be planted in the UK to cancel out the extra emissions from the expansion of Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports, Carbon Brief analysis reveals. New runaways at these airports surrounding London would result in cumulative emissions of around 92m tonnes of extra carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2050, if the number of flights increases in line with their operating company targets. For example, offsetting these emissions would require more than 300,000 hectares of trees to be planted within just a few years. This equates to all the trees planted in the UK since 2000… Reeves has stressed that “sustainable aviation fuels” (SAFs) and electric planes could help to offset these emissions. However, such technologies are still in the early stages of deployment and previous Carbon Brief analysis suggests the role of SAFs in achieving net-zero may be limited.

Drax divides opinion. Some recognise the critically important role we play in generating renewable power which keeps the lights on for millions. Others argue that we are not ‘green enough’ and need to do more to demonstrate that we are part of the solution to tackling the existential threat of climate change. …Since the Ukrainian conflict and the ongoing uncertainty around investments needed to achieve net zero, energy has overtaken many other sectors in he controversy stakes. We recognise that some people have concerns about our operations. …this year will see us make changes to further integrate sustainability across our operations. We are … taking positive action to provide greater transparency about our plans, processes and operations.  We are developing this new approach in consultation with experts to ensure that we’re on the right path to being climate, nature and people positive.

The Congo Basin is home to the largest expanse of intact tropical forest on Earth, covering approximately 3.7 million square kilometres. It retains vast areas of undisturbed forest – like the 108,000 square kilometres in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), an area about the size of Iceland. The Amazon has steadily lost its carbon storage potential, flipping from a sink to a net emitter in 2021. But, the Congo Basin is still functioning effectively as a carbon sink, a crucial planetary buffer limiting greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The Congo Basin is currently the largest and healthiest tropical forest carbon sink in the world, sequestering 1.5 billion tonnes of CO₂ annually with a peat swamp that stores 29 billion tonnes of carbon – equivalent to about three years’ worth of global greenhouse gas emissions.

The UK should stop burning wood to generate power because it is not needed to meet the government’s target of decarbonising the electricity sector by 2030, according to analysis. Ed Miliband, the energy security and net zero secretary, is expected to make a decision soon on whether to allow billions of pounds in new public subsidies for biomass burning, despite fierce opposition from green groups. Campaigners have amassed years of evidence of how much destruction burning wood causes to forests and wildlife around the world, and argue that it is not “carbon neutral” because regrowing trees takes decades to make up for the carbon emitted when burned. But ministers were thought to be reluctant to let go of the capacity for baseload power generation that biomass represents. Biomass makes up roughly 4% of the UK’s total electricity generation, and about 8% of “green” power generation, most of it coming from Drax.

See the analysis in E3G: The UK’s clean power mission: Delivering the prize

JAKARTA, Indonesia — The South Korean government will reduce subsidies for biomass energy after rising domestic and international criticism of its link to deforestation. Environmental activists generally applauded the reforms but criticized loopholes and slow timelines for phasing out the subsidies. … Biomass power … is growing globally as countries accelerate their transition to use cleaner energy — even though many scientists and environmentalists see it as problematic. In South Korea, it’s the second-largest source of renewable energy. South Korea has subsidized biomass energy with millions of dollars for more than a decade via their renewable energy certificates program. South Korea’s biomass power industry has structured its business model around importing large volumes of wood pellets at lower prices from forest-rich nations. …Experts said South Korea’s policy change could signal a shift in how countries consider and incorporate biomass as part of their own energy transitions.