Biomass subsidies protest in Scotland

A demonstration coordinated by organisations Biofuelwatch, No Leith Biomass Campaign, Friends of the Earth Scotland and Grangemouth Community Council was joined by MSPs as they attempted to persuade the Scottish Government to reduce the "heavy subsidies" given to biomass plants.

The protest, which took place outside Holyrood, was in reaction to the high subsidies being offered to wood-burning power plants, and thus, according to the protesters, encouraging deforestation. The argument was that this was then removing a key defence against the global issue of climate change. They are keen to make sure that these actions are not funded by "taxpayer money". The protesters called for the removable of subsidies from large-scale, electricity-only biomass plants, citing the need for sustainable investment to be made in the renewable energy sector instead.

Forth Energy is reportedly to receive an approximate £170 million (Є208.04 million) of public money annually for proposed biomass power stations in Dundee, Rosyth and Grangemouth.