<article><p class="lead">Carbon capture and storage (CCS) — particularly when used with bioenergy (BECCS) — is essential for the UK to reach net zero emissions by 2050, the UK government's advisory Climate Change Committee (CCC) said today in its sixth carbon budget.</p><p>Of the five scenarios presented by the CCC towards reaching net zero, all include BECCS. Biomass-fired power generation should begin transitioning to include CCS technology in the late 2020s, the CCC said. UK utility Drax — which has four 645MW biomass-fired units at its Selby, North Yorkshire, power plant — is trialling <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2117174">two BECCS pilots</a>. Drax sees CCS technology as a <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1983173">potential future</a> for UK biomass after 2027 — when the UK's renewables obligation subsidy scheme is due to end. The RO subsidy supports three of Drax's units. </p><h2>UK biomass supply</h2><p>"By 2035 the UK should be using bioenergy — largely grown in the UK — with CCS to deliver engineered removals of CO2 at scale," the CCC advises. The UK imported a net 8.63mn t of wood pellets in 2019, and this does not account for any agricultural residues or wood chips imported for energy generation, although this is a significantly lower volume. </p><p>UK biomass developer MGT was granted a 15-year contracts for difference subsidy that aligns with a <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1190085">15-year supply contract</a> with US wood pellet producer Enviva for 1.3mn t/yr of wood pellets. MGT's plant is due to start up in <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2158017">early 2021</a>, suggesting that large-scale North American supply will be going to the UK until at least 2035. </p><p>"Scaling up forestry and bioenergy sectors are needed to meet net zero," the CCC said, but it also recommends increasing the use of wood in construction by 40pc by 2050, which would place substantial pressure on the timber industry. </p><h2>Energy crops</h2><p>"Biomass imports can be phased out by 2050 if UK supplies of forestry and perennial energy crops are expanded significantly," the CCC said. The planting of perennial energy crops such as miscanthus, alongside short rotation forestry, must accelerate to 30,000 hectares/year by 2035, it said. </p><p>"Growth in UK forestry and perennial energy crops is needed to supply sustainable biomass across the economy," the committee said. But widespread use of energy crops may force equipment changes such as new boiler systems at power plants. Most UK biomass power plants were built to process wood pellets — which have broadly standardised specifications — and can only burn small percentages of agricultural residues owing to their often abrasive effect on machinery when combusted. </p><p>The CCC's advice mirrors <a href="http://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/1898057">previous</a> recommendations offered with regards to bioenergy. </p><p>The UK government must set the sixth carbon budget in law by the end of June 2021, the CCC said. It will report on the government's strategies in its annual progress report in the same month. </p><p class="bylines">By Georgia Gratton</p></article>
