Plans to revive an old coal-fired power station using bioenergy are being considered in the Hunter region of New South Wales. Similar plans for the station have previously not gone ahead. As we grapple with decarbonisation, bioenergy (energy derived from harvested trees and other plants) is often put on the table as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels.
But is it environmentally sound? The annoying answer is: it depends.
Trees and other plants soak up carbon from the atmosphere and store it as biomass. When they are burnt for electricity production the same carbon is released. This would suggest bioenergy is “carbon-neutral”.
But it’s not that simple. Many things can change the environmental credentials of a bioenergy project. Every project is unique and must be considered independently.
So let’s break down the five key questions we should ask about every bioenergy project.
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