The majority of the 2.5 GW of the Uk biomass schemes in various stages of development will rely almost exclusively on unproven resources of wood from abroad. The amount of wood used for UK biomass power generation will need to rise from just a few million tonnes currently to around 25-30 million tonnes annually by 2015. This staggeing amount is equivalent to current total global exports of woodchip.

UK Biomass map (courtesy of Biofuel Watch)

The UK Government has recently applied to the EU commission for a time extension for Port Talbot to achieve air quality objectives for PM10. The UK Government argued in the consultation that it was doing all it could to improve air quality. However it is fairly obvious to everyone that air quality objectives are not being achieved in Port talbot due to the amount of heavy industry in the town at the moment. The addition of more heavy industry (by the UK Govt) is hardly likely to help the situation, indeed it is irresponsible and questions the validity of declarations made by the Govement in the consultation to the EU.

The Welsh Assembly is still investigating the cause of 46 air quality exceedences of PM10 in 2007, which was significantly more than the 35 allowed.