Misdirected subsidies to the biomass industry undermine genuine clean, safe renewable energy solutions. The Australian Government’s support and promotion, including taxpayer funded renewable energy subsidies and grants for this industry, cannot be justified by the science.
Detailed research into comprehensive carbon accounting and life-cycle assessment (LCA) reveals that biomass energy in Australia does not provide a credible alternative to fossil fuel energy. In fact, biomass energy increases global carbon as well as dangerous pollutant levels in our atmosphere. Burning biomass requires large volumes of water, a scarce resource in many parts of Australia and causes significant public health impacts. Burning biomass risks the ecological sustainability of our forests including the significant climate and health benefits they provide while locking out other more sustainable and equitable approaches for managing organic wastes such as composting.