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Petition for greater support and uptake of perennial biomass crops in the UK

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Version: SHORT – August 2nd 2024

The UK aims for net zero emissions by 2050. While UK agriculture significantly contributes to greenhouse gases, it also has the potential to offset emissions. The government targets a 78% reduction in emissions from 1990 levels by 2035, as recommended by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).

The CCC recommends rapidly increasing perennial biomass crop cultivation and short-rotation forestry to at least 30,000 hectares per year by 2035, aiming for 700,000 hectares by 2050. This could sequester 2 MtCO2e by 2035 and over 6 MtCO2e by 2050 with carbon capture and storage technology adding 3 MtCO2e and 10 MtCO2e respectively.

Sufficient land exists for biomass crop development without affecting food supplies. Currently, the UK has 12.6 thousand hectares of biomass crops, this is 17,000 less than the CCC’s annual target for 2030. Research shows that 900,000 hectares are suitable for biomass in Scotland alone.

Significant progress in perennial biomass crops has been made over the last two decades. The UK government has funded important research leading to higher yields, hardier varieties and better establishment success at lower costs. These efforts will help scale up UK domestic biomass resources.

Industry interest in biomass is strong, with UK farmers supplying renewable energy power stations. Emerging markets for sustainable building materials and biochemicals with long-term CO2 storage are promising. This interest should be encouraged.

Encouraging UK farmers to adopt new technologies is crucial. Commercialising crop innovations will benefit the rural value chain and create local jobs. Increased production of perennial biomass crops is essential to meet growing demand. Supportive agricultural policies for perennial biomass crops are needed to attract private investment.

Support schemes should prioritise long-term investment in perennial crops, which provide returns for decades. The CCC’s Sixth Carbon Budget recommends a net investment of £1.5 billion by 2035, with £1.4 billion for the land sector and £0.1 billion for agri-environment measures.

Without support, farmers are hesitant to commit long-term. Current UK government support schemes provide no support for perennial crops preferring short term actions with no assurance that CO2 targets will be met. Perennial biomass crops grown on marginal land increase efficient food production on better land, reduce CO2 emissions and provide environmental benefits for over 20 years.

We urge the government to:

  • Add government support to recognise the role of perennial biomass crops in supporting ecosystem services.
  • Incentivise initial establishment costs for farmers to plant perennial biomass crops.
  • Provide annual incentives for perennial crops to encourage farmers not to revert to less efficient annual crops.
  • Integrate UK-grown biomass into policies for renewable energy targets and encourage new industrial applications for biomass which store CO2 long term.

Prioritising perennial biomass crops can advance the UK’s sustainable energy system and support the climate-vulnerable agricultural sector. With Europe’s largest renewable energy plants and major investment in biomass research, the UK has the potential to lead in sustainable agriculture and export low-carbon technologies globally.

References

Defra Agri-climate report 2023&24, Bioenergy Crops in England & UK 2008-2023&24 – Climate Change Committee 2020 – Scottish Draft Policy Statement 2024 – The Sixth Carbon Budget: The UK’s Path to Net Zero – Scotland Bioenergy Draft Policy Statement Consultation 2024