New Research Challenges Wood-Burning Power as Climate Solution
Burning wood for power worse for climate than gas equivalent, report finds
The Guardian
Image: The Guardian
A recent study reveals that burning wood for power generation may be more harmful to the climate than burning natural gas, even with carbon capture technology. The findings raise concerns over government subsidies for wood-burning power, particularly in the UK, where the Drax power station is a major emitter of CO2.
- 01Burning wood can emit twice as much carbon per unit of energy as fossil gas.
- 02Carbon capture technology may not effectively mitigate emissions from wood burning.
- 03The Drax power station in the UK is a significant contributor to CO2 emissions.
- 04Governments are urged to stop subsidizing wood-burning power generation.
- 05The report emphasizes the need for genuinely clean energy sources.
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A study published in the journal Nature Sustainability indicates that burning wood for power generation could be worse for the climate than burning natural gas, even with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Researchers from Princeton University, the UK, and China found that wood burning can release twice the carbon emissions per unit of energy produced compared to fossil gas. The study questions the effectiveness of bio-energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), which has been promoted as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. It suggests that achieving 'negative emissions' through BECCS could take up to 150 years, primarily due to the time required to regrow forests. The Drax power station in the UK, the largest single source of CO2 emissions in the country, received nearly £1 billion in subsidies last year for burning wood. Critics, including environmental groups, argue that such practices are detrimental to global carbon budgets and advocate for halting wood power generation altogether. The UK government has yet to finalize decisions on large-scale BECCS projects, maintaining that any support must meet sustainability criteria and provide value for taxpayers.
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The findings suggest that continuing to subsidize wood-burning power could lead to increased carbon emissions, affecting climate goals and energy prices for consumers.
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