UK bioenergy potential failing
20 Feb 2014
The UK is failing to make the most of its bioenergy generation capabilities, according to new research.
Scientists at the University of Manchester have reported that the UK has the potential to generate up to 44% of its energy needs from biomass sources, including household waste, agricultural residues and home-grown biofuels by 2050 – without utilising imports or impacting on food supply.
However, the study documents that UK biomass resources are currently being underutilised and overlooked by the bioenergy sector.
The UK could produce energy from biomass without importing resources or negatively impacting the ability to feed itself
Researcher Andrew Welfie
Barriers to production have been found to include the competition for land that may otherwise be used to grow food and the assumption that biomass will have to be imported to the UK in order to use increased levels of bioenergy.
Researcher Andrew Welfie said: “Our research has found that the UK could produce large levels of energy from biomass without importing resources or negatively impacting the UK’s ability to feed itself.”
To obtain its results, the research team analysed parameters such as a future with economic focus, investigating how the future UK bioenergy sector may look if economic growth was the prime focus and a food focus pathway, where the potential future of the country’s bioenergy sector is analysed in reflection of the UK working to increase its food security.
“[Overall], our research confirms that the best option for the UK to make the most of its biomass resources would be for selected resources to be used by bio-refineries to produce high value bio-products, with all remaining suitable resources being dedicated for heat generation,” added Welfie.
