Biomass plans up in smoke?

News reaches us that state support for large scale biomass has been reduced by more than 50%. Subsidy has been cut from 2.7p to 1p per kWH. I wonder what implication this has for Forth Ports plans to build that enormous eyesore at the bottom of our lovely street? Might it put them off?

STV Local reports that: “Calculations by environmental campaigners estimate that over a 20 year period the Leith biomass plant alone would have qualified for £800million of subsidy through the current Renewables Obligation Certificate (ROC) Scheme – even if the plant did not generate power for a fifth of the time.”

It’s hard to believe that reducing the subsidy available won’t have an impact on Forth Ports’ plans.

Leith Biomass – have your say

Below is a comment that local councillor Rob Munn posted on the blog. Thanks to him for taking the time to do this. Since the comments don’t show on the home page (technology fail – sorry) I thought I’d repost his comment as a post in its own right. Please do let Cllr Munn and us know what you think.

Thanks!

Forth Energy are spending money making the case for burning wood on a massive scale – according to them similar tonnages of wood are used to produce newspapers and are similarly shipped across the world! They also want the Council to put off considering the application – if the Council object that will trigger a public inquiry. A public inquiry is set to take place over their biomass plan for Grangemouth after Falkirk Council objected. Forth Energy think the objections in Leith will be answered by the Grangemouth public inquiry. I still say large scale biomass is bad for Leith and bad for Scotland. Let me know what you thinkrob.munn@edinburgh.gov.uk twitter @robm2 facebook Councillor Rob Munn

Biomass belter

Remember that terrible public meeting with Forth Ports Calum Wilson. Nice to see he’s still being picked up for his dubious calculations as to energy efficiency (via @Greenerleith)

http://www.scotsman.com/news/letters/heated_debate_1_1901119

And out of interest – anyone got any updates as to what’s going on with the Biomass plans for the bottom of our lovely street?