Biomass energy is the most common form of renewable energy on the planet. Ever since discovering fire, humans have used biomass as a source of energy, for many years we burnt wood for heat and later for electricity. Had this continued sustainably then there would be no human-induced climate change. This is because biomass is part of the natural carbon cycle, whereby plants absorb CO2 as they grow, which is then released back into the atmosphere at the end of the plant’s life (through burning or decomposition). This creates a closed carbon loop, where no additional CO2 is introduced into the atmosphere.

With the discovery of fossil fuels, the production of heat and electricity began to be dominated by coal, oil, and gas. Unfortunately, unlike wood and other biomass-based energy sources, the CO2 contained within fossil fuels has been buried deep within the Earth’s crust for millions of years and has not been recently absorbed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. As a result, burning fossil fuels releases additional CO2 into the atmosphere that adds to the natural carbon cycle and creates human-induced climate change.

Whilst it is not a common renewable energy resource in Australia, biomass energy is widely supported by leading international climate bodies such as the IEA and IPCC. Biomass holds a unique position in the renewables landscape, as it can produce power 24/7 and is the only method capable of producing electricity with net negative CO2 emissions. It is estimated that the energy contained in waste biomass resources across Australia translates to around 57.6TWh/year, equivalent to around 28% of total Australian electricity demand in 2019/20.