Malcolm Chisholm: Questions to the Scottish Government about Biomass Plants, the planned Leith Biomass Plant in particular

Questions on the planned Leith Biomass Plant Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
To ask the Scottish Executive what contact there has been between its officials and Forth Energy in relation to the proposed biomass plant at Leith docks. (S3W-33941

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
To ask the Scottish Executive what contact there has been between its officials and Forth Energy in relation to the proposed biomass plant at Leith docks. (S3W-33942

Jim Mather (The Scottish Government):
Officials from the Scottish Governments Renewable Energy Division receive regular updates from Forth Energy on the status of their proposals and have provided guidance on procedures. Scottish Government officials also chair the Biomass Stakeholder Engagement Group made up of Forth Energy, Edinburgh City Council, Dundee City Council, Falkirk Council, Fife Council, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people submitted views to its Energy Consents Unit following the environmental scoping study for the proposed biomass plant at Leith docks. (S3W-33943)

Jim Mather (The Scottish Government):
Thirty-one organisations submitted comments on the proposed plant at Leith. The full Scottish Government Scoping Opinion incorporating these comments was published on 26 April 2010 and can be accessed at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Infrastructure/Energy-Consents/Applications-Database/Biomass

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the proposed biomass plant at Leith docks if an application is submitted by Forth Energy in summer 2010. (S3W-33944)

Jim Mather (The Scottish Government):
Due to the size and complexity of large-scale s36 applications it is difficult to accurately predict processing timescales however, Scottish ministers have set an aspirational target to determine any new application submitted under s36 of The Electricity Act within nine months. Given this Scottish ministers would expect to be in a position to either make a determination or call a Public Inquiry some time in the second quarter of 2011.

Questions asked and answered on June 9th 2010 Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
To ask the Scottish Executive what statements concerning biomass plants have been made recently by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Minister for Environment. (S3O-11160)

Roseanna Cunningham (The Minister for Environment):
On 2 June, at a conference on forestry in the low-carbon economy, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment highlighted the contribution that biomass can make to renewable energy targets and recognised the particularly important role of relatively small-scale biomass plants that produce heat or combined heat and power. The full text of the speech is available on the Scottish Government's website.

Currently more than 90 per cent of renewable heat is generated from woody biomass. Wood fuel use is rising substantially year on year and will be a key element in meeting our 11 per cent renewable heat target in 2020. Of course, wood supplies from existing forests are finite, so we are keen for Scotland-produced biomass to be utilised mainly for relatively small-scale, heat-only or CHP plants.

The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and I met representatives of the wood processing industries on 9 June and released a statement in which we acknowledged the important role that Scotland's forests can make to a low-carbon economy.

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab):
I agree that small-scale biomass for heat or combined heat and power is acceptable. Will the minister urge her ministerial colleagues to reconsider their enthusiasm for large-scale biomass electricity plants such as the one that is proposed for Leith docks, in my constituency?

Is the minister aware of recent American research by the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, which shows that electricity from biomass would result in even more greenhouse gas emissions than coal-fired electricity would do by 2050? Will she ensure that the summary of the research, which I have sent to the Scottish Government, is read by all her colleagues who have responsibility for energy and by the First Minister?

Roseanna Cunningham (The Minister for Environment):
All members of the Scottish Government are aware of the challenges that we face with respect to wood supply and we are aware of a variety of pieces of research on the matter.

We are actively involved in the development of United Kingdom sustainability criteria for biomass for heat and electricity. The working group, which includes stakeholders from the Scottish Government, other Administrations in the UK, industry and non-governmental organisations, is considering mandatory criteria for large-scale biomass plants, including a minimum greenhouse gas emissions savings threshold.

The member will not, of course, expect me to comment on individual planning applications.

July 1st 2010 (Column 28167-8)