Biomass Energy, Forests and Climate Library

Satellite images show link between wood pellet demand and increased hardwood forest harvesting

A new satellite image analysis, conducted by researchers at Clark University, shows a strong link between wood pellet demand from Enviva’s mills in North Carolina and Virginia and hardwood forest harvesting in the area. Specifically, the analysis concludes that the area’s ecologically valuable hardwood forests have been harvested at a higher rate since Enviva’s pellet mills started operating and consuming primarily hardwoods and that nearly half of this wood is going to Enviva’s Ahoskie, Northampton, and Southampton mills, likely contributing to overall declines in carbon stocks in the area’s hardwood forests. Additionally, this analysis found—in direct contradiction to repeated industry claims—that from 2001-2016 forest harvesting in Enviva’s sourcing area exceeds growth, resulting in a net loss of forested area.

Shaping Bioeconomy Strategies in Europe: The Role of Civil Society

This study takes a closer look at the role of civil society in the development and implementation of bioeconomy strategies in the EU, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Italy, France and the Netherlands. While the bio-based industry is well organized and well-funded, civil society involvement in drafting and implementing bioeconomy strategies at EU or member state level has up to now remained limited.

Forests to Burn. The Real Cost of Bioenergy

Forests to Burn: The real cost of bioenergy” is the first comprehensive study on forest biomass used in Poland for energy production. The report maps the situation of the market in Poland, answers questions about how much wood we burn and where it comes from. It explains the reasons for biomass market development and the consequences of forest biomass combustion for climate and nature.

Wind and solar power continue to contribute much more to the UK’s phase out of coal than biomass

In the ten years between 2011 and 2020 the UK almost entirely phased out the use of coal for electricity generation. While bioenergy in the UK has grown during that time period, it has been a far smaller factor in the UK’s coal phase out than either wind and solar or demand reduction. This is despite the UK burning more wood and importing more wood pellets to be burnt than any other country on the planet, and spending billions of pounds of bill-payers’ money on subsidies for the biomass industry.

Our message to world leaders: Cut ties with Drax’ “Green Energy Scandal”

A video message to world leaders: Cut ties with Drax' "Green Energy Scandal"

Enviva Inc

The activist investment firm Blue Orca Capital published a damning report on Enviva, asserting that the firm is engaged in “textbook greenwashing”

EU-Subventionen für Pellets :Europa auf dem Holzweg

In Europas Kohlekraftwerken werden immer mehr Pellets verbrannt – subventioniert durch die EU. Dass das so bleibt, dafür sorgt auch die Holzlobby.

Analysis on biomass in National Energy and Climate Plans

EU renewable energy policies consider bioenergy as a renewable form of energy. Today, bioenergy accounts for around 55 percent of renewable energy in the EU, and woody biomass provides the lion share (75%) of bioenergy energy consumption in the EU. This report analyses the use of biomass in National Energy and Climate Plans.

The Emperor’s New Climate Scenarios – Limitations and assumptions of commonly used climate-change scenarios in financial services

Scenario modelling is an important component of the actuarial risk-management toolkit. In the context of climate change, scenario modelling enables financial institutions and regulators to investigate the impact of different climate futures, which is important given the challenges we face.

The IFoA has partnered with the University of Exeter to produce this paper demonstrating how a deeper understanding of climate change, including tipping points can improve financial services climate- scenario modelling.