Common biomass sustainability framework

This page brings together news, events and resources to support the UK government’s consultation on a common biomass sustainability framework.

You can read all about the consultation using the links below.

Gov.uk Common biomass sustainability framework

Common biomass sustainability framework: consultation document (accessible webpage)

Download presentation slides from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero introductory webinar:

Introduction to the common biomass sustainability framework consultation – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (pdf)

You can make a response using the link below.

Common Biomass Sustainability Framework Consultation – Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – Citizen Space

Webinars

As part of our response to the consultation, we ran two webinars to make widely available some of the research around biomass sustainability, and to highlight some of the practical issues involved.

Towards a biomass sustainability framework: Feedstocks and products

20 January 2026, 12-1pm

Presentation slides

• Sustainability and co-products: Mirjam Roeder and Dan Taylor, Aston University
• Land and grown biomass: Rebecca Rowe, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
• Different types of biomass and sustainability implications: Andrew Welfle, University of Manchester
• Non-energy products from biomass: Parimala Shivaprasad, University of Nottingham

Webinar recording

The recording of the webinar is available via YouTube.

Towards a biomass sustainability framework: Trees, crops and carbon

27 January 2026, 12-1pm

Presentation slides

• Introduction and context: Freya Horsfield, Supergen Bioenergy Hub
• Introduction to forest carbon: Carly Whittaker, Forest Research
• Sustainability of biomass feedstocks: Jeanette Whitaker, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Biomass Connect
• Practicalities of making a living growing carbon-friendly crops: Jamie Rickerby, Willow Energy
• Practicalities of the international biomass trade: Fiona Matthews, Hawkins Wright

Webinar recording

The recording of the webinar is available via YouTube.

Useful links

Supergen Bioeconomy Sustainability Indicator Model

Access the model: https://bit.ly/SBH-BSIM
Access the article: https://bit.ly/SBH-BSIM-Article
BSIM Guidance Manual: https://bit.ly/SBH-BSIM-GUIDE

Welfle, Andrew James, Alberto Almena, Muhammad Naveed Arshad, et al. 2023. ‘Sustainability of Bioenergy – Mapping the Risks & Benefits to Inform Future Bioenergy Systems’. Biomass and Bioenergy 177 (October): 106919. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2023.106919.

Welfle, Andrew, Patricia Thornley, and Mirjam Röder. 2020. ‘A Review of the Role of Bioenergy Modelling in Renewable Energy Research & Policy Development’. Biomass and Bioenergy 136 (May): 105542. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2020.105542.

Röder, Mirjam, Evelyne Thiffault, Celia Martínez-Alonso, Fanny Senez-Gagnon, Laurence Paradis, and Patricia Thornley. 2019. ‘Understanding the Timing and Variation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Forest Bioenergy Systems’. Biomass and Bioenergy 121 (February): 99–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2018.12.019.

Almena, Alberto, Patricia Thornley, Katie Chong, and Mirjam Röder. 2022. ‘Carbon Dioxide Removal Potential from Decentralised Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) and the Relevance of Operational Choices’. Biomass and Bioenergy 159 (April): 106406. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2022.106406.

Taylor, Daniel, Katie Chong, and Mirjam Röder. 2024. ‘Designing Biomass Policy: The Political Economy of Renewable Energy for Net Zero’. WIREs Energy and Environment 13 (2): e512. https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.512.

Taylor, Daniel, Joanna Sparks, Katie Chong, and Mirjam Röder. 2024. ‘Determining the Benefits of Biomass: Who Wins, and Who Loses?’ Agronomy 14 (10): 2350. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14102350.

Taylor, Daniel, and Mirjam Röder. 2026. ‘Bringing Biomass out from behind the Scenes: An Alternative Approach to Biomass Policy Design for a Sustainable Transition to Net Zero’. Preprint, Research Square, January 9. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8317572/v1.

Welfle, Andrew, and Mirjam Röder. 2022. ‘Mapping the Sustainability of Bioenergy to Maximise Benefits, Mitigate Risks and Drive Progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals’. Renewable Energy 191 (May): 493–509. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2022.03.150.

‘Bioenergy Crops in England and the UK 2008-2023 Updated 11 September 2025’. Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs – official statistics. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2023/bioenergy-crops-in-england-and-the-uk-2008-2023.

‘Land Use Decision-Making for Biomass Deployment, Bridging the Gap between National Scale Targets and Field Scale Decisions. – Supergen Bioenergy Hub’. Rowe, R.; Arshad, M.N.; Welfle, A.; Holland, R.; Yuan, R.; Sparks, J.; Heaton, C.; Fothergill, R. 2022.  https://www.supergen-bioenergy.net/output/land-use-decision-making-for-biomass-deployment-bridging-the-gap-between-national-scale-targets-and-field-scale-decisions/.

Delafield, Gemma, Greg S. Smith, Brett Day, Robert Holland, and Andrew Lovett. 2024. ‘The Financial and Environmental Consequences of Renewable Energy Exclusion Zones’. Environmental and Resource Economics 87 (2): 369–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10640-022-00749-z.

Keith, Aidan M., Rebecca L. Rowe, Kim Parmar, et al. 2015. ‘Implications of Land-Use Change to Short Rotation Forestry in Great Britain for Soil and Biomass Carbon’. GCB Bioenergy 7 (3): 541–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12168.

Evans, Chris D., Rebecca L. Rowe, Benjamin W. J. Freeman, et al. 2024. ‘Biomethane Produced from Maize Grown on Peat Emits More CO2 than Natural Gas’. Nature Climate Change 14 (10): 1030–32. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-02111-1.

Rowe, Rebecca L., Aidan M. Keith, Dafydd Elias, et al. 2016. ‘Initial Soil C and Land-Use History Determine Soil C Sequestration under Perennial Bioenergy Crops’. GCB Bioenergy 8 (6): 1046–60. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12311.

Lloyd, I. L., R. Morrison, R. P. Grayson, et al. 2024. ‘Maize Grown for Bioenergy on Peat Emits Twice as Much Carbon as When Grown on Mineral Soil’. GCB Bioenergy 16 (7): e13169. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.13169.

Rowe, Rebecca. 2023. ‘Report from Stakeholder Workshop on Novel Crops and Forestry Species as Sources of Industrial Biomass – Supergen Bioenergy Hub’. December 14. https://www.supergen-bioenergy.net/output/report-from-stakeholder-workshop-on-novel-crops-and-forestry-species-as-sources-of-industrial-biomass/.

Forest Research website – carbon: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/climate-change/carbon

Robert Matthews, Nigel Mortimer, Jan Peter Lesschen, Tomi J Lindroos, Laura Sokka, Allison Morris, Paul Henshall, Charlotte Hatto, Onesmus Mwabonje, Jeremy Rix, Ewan Mackie and Marc Sayce 2015. ‘Carbon Impacts of Biomass Consumed in the EU: Quantitative Assessment. Final Project Report, Project: DG ENER/C1/427‘. Forest Research. https://energy.ec.europa.eu/publications/carbon-impacts-biomass-consumed-eu-quantitative-assessment_en

Share your insights with us

Researchers who wish to share with us their research insights relevant to specific consultation questions can complete this short form: bit.ly/4pIdNdn.

Closing date: Friday 6 February