REA report: Ministers must commit to 16% bioenergy to safeguard UK energy security

Renewable Energy Association (REA)

A new report from the UK’s leading renewable energy and clean technology trade association is urging ministers to commit to 16% of primary energy supply coming from bioenergy by 2032 or risk jeopardising the UK’s energy security. Already providing 7.4% of primary energy supply, bioenergy’s contribution must more than double by 2032 if the UK is to address impending deficits, such as the looming nuclear gap, and meet growing electricity demand in the heat and transport sectors. As well as delivering a further 117 TWh across heat and power, sustainably doubling the deployment of bioenergy would see up to 80 million tonnes of CO2 removed from the atmosphere annually – more than enough to bridge the nuclear gap and meet the shortfall in the carbon budgets. Both the Science and Technology Commons Select Committee and the Committee on Climate Change have urged the Government to prioritise resolving the policy gap obstructing the deployment of new sources of heat and power generation. Without this, the UK will lose valuable markets, expertise and resource in the run up to net zero.