Professor speaks on alternative fossil fuel uses

A leading bioenergy expert from Aston University gave evidence to government about the use of sustainable timber in the UK as an alternative fossil fuel.

Professor Patricia Thornley (pictured), director of the University 's Energy and Bioproducts Institute (EBRI), gave oral evidence at a committee meeting about how the UK could increase its supply of sustainable timber for biomass, a renewable energy source.

Bioenergy is produced from wood, plants and other organic matter, such as manure or household waste. It releases carbon dioxide when burned, but this carbon has recently been sequestered from the atmosphere and so it can deliver net greenhouse gas reductions when replacing fossil fuels

The Environmental Audit Committee launched a new inquiry into the potential to scale up timber production in the UK to create a sustainable and resilient home-grown timber sector to help meet future demands, including for biomass.

The inquiry also explores the degree to which UK supply chains contribute to deforestation overseas, the effectiveness of the Government 's efforts to curb this and how the UK works with international partners to tackle deforestation.

Leading the UK 's national bioenergy research programme, SUPERGEN Bioenergy hub, Professor Thornley 's research focuses on assessing the sustainability of bioenergy and low carbon fuels. She said: “I was delighted to speak at the inquiry. There are many misconceptions about biomass sustainability, and it is important that we seize the opportunities to use sustainable biomass to deliver net greenhouse gas reductions for the UK and the planet.

“That requires having the right checks and mechanisms in place and monitoring the impact of biomass deployment.

“Our research has focused on evaluating those impacts for a huge array of different biomass and technology options, so I welcomed the opportunity to share our insights with the Committee. ”

The Committee's remit is to determine if official policy helps to protect the environment, and to check if the government is reaching its sustainability and environmental protection targets.

Environmental Audit Committee chairman, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said: “We must make sure the domestic timber industry is fit for the future and can support our net zero ambitions, while better understanding the impact any imports have on the wider world.

“I invite anyone with views on global deforestation, and how UK woodland creation can contribute sustainably to meeting increasing demand in the UK timber sector, to respond to our inquiry. ”?