As a material of biological origin, waste wood is a type of biomass.
Biomass for renewable electricity generation (also known as bioenergy) is a reliable source of power accounting for 11.6% of the country’s total electricity generation in 2023. It has played a significant role in decarbonising the UK’s power sector to date. In the future, biomass could support nearly all sectors of the economy to decarbonise including transport, aviation and shipping, as well as supporting the UK to achieve its ‘clean power by 2030’ goal.
The future of bioenergy
One of the key challenges facing the future of biomass power generation in the UK is the sustainability of the feedstock. With no other value to society, domestically sourced waste wood that has been diverted from landfill – as used by Evero – is one of the most sustainable feedstocks available. Other forms of biomass are often imported and have higher carbon footprints due to additional transport and processing.
Carbon removals can help to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation, shipping and heavy industry.
Turning captured carbon into biofuel
Biofuels are liquid or gaseous fuels made from biomass. They are a renewable alternative to fossil fuels and can be used in transport and power generation. Traditionally, biofuels are made from biomass that are also food, such as corn, soy, and sugar cane.
However, when waste wood is gasified it can be converted to an advanced biofuel without diverting biomass from food production. These advanced, waste-derived biofuels can be used as sustainable marine or aviation fuels, two particularly hard to decarbonise sectors.
E-fuels are synthetic fuels produced by reacting carbon dioxide with renewable hydrogen. They can be used in the same way as conventional fuels but, if Evero’s biogenic CO2 were used in their manufacture, they would have a “net zero” carbon footprint.