More CO2 emissions caused by biomass | Inland

In 2020, CO2 emissions caused by biomass will increase by 16 percent compared to a year earlier. More than a tenth of the total emissions of this greenhouse gas in the Netherlands come from biomass. This concerns material of vegetable or animal origin that is used as fuel, such as wood, maize, manure or food waste.

Electricity companies in particular have started to use more biomass in recent years, namely three times more in the period from 2016 to 2020. During this period, the government stimulated with subsidies to co-fire biomass in coal-fired power stations.

Households have also started to use more biomass. This is because since 2007 biofuel has been blended into petrol and diesel. This also resulted in more CO2 emissions from biomass. However, the amount of this greenhouse gas that was released into the air via wood-burning stoves and fireplaces decreased.

In the Climate Agreement it has been agreed to reduce Dutch greenhouse gas emissions by 49 percent in 2030 compared to 1990 and by 95 percent in 2050. Emissions caused by biomass are not included in this. The underlying assumption is that emissions are compensated because new plants and trees are planted.

Nature and environmental organizations are critical of biomass as a source of renewable energy. Earlier this year, Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, among others, withdrew from agreements they had made with the energy sector. The reason for this was a critical investigation by the Foundation for Research on Multinational Enterprises (SOMO) into wood production in Estonia, which was carried out on behalf of Greenpeace. According to researchers, wood would not be produced sustainably there and could possibly also be burned in Dutch coal and biomass plants.

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