A range of energy from waste technologies have not been included in a proposed 400MW cap for biomass subsidies in the UK.
Anaerobic digestions, gasification and pyrolysis, energy from waste with CHP and landfill gas will all not be subject to the cap.
However, dedicated biomass projects using solid biomass, which could include waste wood, will be subject to the cap.
In the consultation, the Department of Energy and Climate Change stated: “In the Government response to the follow-up Renewable Obligation consultation on biomass affordability and valued for money, published on 18 December 2012, we announced our intention to introduce a new dedicated biomass capacity cap.
“The cap will be set at 400MW of new build dedicated biomass generating capacity and a notification process will be used to allocate places within the cap. Once the 400MW cap is triggered, we will consider consulting on proposals to exclude any further new build dedicated biomass deployment from our grandfathering policy.”
The Renewable Energy Association outlined its opposition to the cap.
Chief executive Gaynor Hartnell said: “The entire concept of capping new dedicated biomass capacity is wrong. There may be as much as 1,000MW of projects still in active development, yet DECC wants to limit the build to only 400MW.
“While the proposal is probably the best means of implementing this deeply flawed concept, it is not without risk. There could be a situation where more than 400MW applies to go on the register on the same day.
“The irony is that DECC should be welcoming such projects, rather than turning them away. The UK faces an impending capacity crunch in 2015-16 and the steady, baseload green electricity generation from these biomass projects is needed, and can provide significant investment and jobs across the country.
“The majority of projects proposed today could be operational, had there not been a series of policy changes and lack of clarity on the Government’s part.”
