Biomass Energy Called Inefficient

(Edinburgh, Scotland) Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing has called for the end of government subsidies for biomass plants that use wood because they are inefficient. According to Ewing,

"I have grave concerns about the UK Government's ambition for biomass electricity. Large-scale woody biomass used for electricity generation is much less efficient than smaller scale neighbourhood plants.

"Huge electricity-only biomass plants require vast quantities of wood - far more than the UK can provide. Even if every stick of wood grown commercially in the UK went to biomass, it would supply less than a third of the fuel we will require by 2020 if the UK Government's plan for biomass goes ahead.

"Large scale electricity-only biomass will make us reliant on overseas timber markets for our energy. Both oil and gas prices have shown us the importance of a secure, local supply, and if we rely too heavily on imported timber there is a risk of energy security problems in the future.

"Extensive use of large scale biomass for electricity only is likely to push up timber prices and risk hundreds of jobs in traditional wood industries.

Biomass electricity has presumably been developed as an alternative to oil-fueled electricity so the UK doesn't have to rely upon imported oil. Ironically, it appears that biomass electricity will have to rely upon imported timber. The only difference appears to be that biomass electricity has to be subsidized.

Heh. Pretty dumb, I think.