Policy News

The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has suggested expanding UK bioenergy crops to around 23,000 hectares each year in its new land use report. Titled ‘Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK’, the report is the CCC’s first in-depth advice on UK agricultural policies. According to the report, in 2017, land use including agriculture, forestry and peatland accounted for 12% of total UK…
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Specialist energy from waste investment firm Privilege Finance says there is a “disturbing” lack of detail in the new UK Government’s manifesto surrounding renewable energy and the climate crisis. The Conservative Party won the election on December 12, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson leading the party. According to Privilege, while the election has brought an “increased level of…
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The Renewable Energy Association (REA) has responded to green pledges made by the main political parties in the upcoming UK general election. The organisation responded to commitments made by the Conservative Party, the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats, citing a "lack of detail" across the board. Labour Party Labour, the UK’s left-wing party, has pledged to bring about a ‘Green…
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The European Investment Bank (EIB) will stop financing fossil fuel energy projects from the end of 2021. The board of the EIB agreed on a new energy lending policy on 14 November and confirmed the organisation’s “increased ambition in climate action and environmental sustainability”. EIB President Werner Hoyer said: “Climate is the top issue on the political agenda of our time.…
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The UK Environment Agency (EA) has announced it is launching a review of permitted waste sites in the bio-waste sector, including anaerobic digestion, composting and mechanical biological treatment. In a statement, the EA highlighted the importance of the bio-waste sector for a closed-loop, circular economy. The review will ‘embed’ recent changes to legislation, such as the requirement of…
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The World Biogas Association (WBA) has issued recommendations to world governments, financial institutions and other key decision makers to support the industry in becoming a major player in meeting decarbonisation commitments. The WBA’s requirements follow the publication of its Global Potential of Biogas report that shows biogas could rapidly reduce world GHG emissions by 12%. At the…
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A waste-to-energy plant in Oregon, US has been given an extra year to obtain state tax credits. An article by Salem Reporter said Commissioners Kevin Cameron, Sam Brentano and Colm Willis agreed to extend the plant’s contract in a deal with the plant’s parent company, Covanta. The plant, which opened in Brooks in Marion County in 1987, burns around 170,000 tonnes of waste and biomass every…
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Canada’s national clean fuels associations are forecasting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of more than 50 million tonnes per year by 2030 through a renewable energy boost. However, the organisations claim this cannot be achieved without significant funding. Advanced Biofuels Canada (ABFC), Canadian Biogas Association (CBA), Canadian Gas Association (CGA), Electric Mobility Canada…
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The UK Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association (ADBA) has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. The programme of action for 2019-2020 puts emphasis on addressing climate change and achieving net zero targets by 2045 through various policies, including decarbonising transport and heat. Scotland has been at the forefront…
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New legislation was introduced on 13 August to extend tax credits for investments in qualified renewable energy production. The bill, named the Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalisation Act, was introduced by US Representatives Elise Stefanik and Scott Peters and covers investments in renewable energy production including closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, municipal solid waste,…
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Environmental groups are ramping up efforts to oppose changes to biomass legislation in the state of Massachusetts, which could pave the way for the opening of a new plant. Palmer Renewable Energy submitted plans to open a biomass plant in East Springfield 10 years ago, but the project has come under heavy criticism from environmentalists and climate scientists. The firm is proposing to build…
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Commenting on the report yesterday, Mark Sommerfeld, policy manager at the REA said, “Today’s CCC progress report must be the starting gun for Government to get on and deliver the UK’s legally binding ambitions to have net zero emissions by 2050. The report reflects the status of renewable and clean tech markets today, with a dearth of polices constraining the pipeline of…
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Specialist energy from waste funder Privilege Finance has announced £90 million (€100 million) of investment to fund 14MW of new green energy projects so far in 2019, enough to power approximately 28,000 homes. Once built and running at full capacity, these projects will be converting 175,000 tonnes of food waste which would otherwise have ended up in landfill, as well as agricultural…
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The Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association, ADBA has welcomed Government plans to cut UK emissions to almost zero by 2050, a strengthening of existing 2050 targets to reduce emissions by 80% under the 2008 Climate Change Act. This follows a recommendation by the Committee on Climate Change last month and rising public pressure. By converting organic wastes and crops into renewable heat…
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