The Wood Recyclers’ Association has today (July 23) welcomed the announcement from government that the UK’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) will include engineered greenhouse gas removals (GGR) by 2029, which it says is a big step forward for BECCS and net zero.
The announcement this week means that negative emissions from sustainable biomass, known as Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS), will be included in the primary carbon emissions trading scheme, creating a regulatory framework and compliance market that will drive demand for and investment in technologies that will deliver durable removals.
It’s well accepted that if the UK is to reach it net zero goals, then it is crucial to significantly scale up removals deployment. The WRA supports this development as a big step towards a self-sufficient and functioning GGR sector, with BECCS at the centre.
Some key takeaways from the announcement include:
- GGR integration to be legislated by 2028, operational by 2029
- UK-only removals will be eligible initially
- Projects must meet a 200-year minimum carbon storage requirement
- Monitoring, reporting and verification will align with the upcoming UK GGR Standard
- No artificial limits on how removal allowances can be used for compliance
- The Authority is still weighing woodland inclusion, with new evidence expected soon
Commenting on the announcement, Richard Coulson, Chair of the WRA’s Biomass Advocacy Group said:
“We welcome the clarity and momentum, especially the commitment to domestic removals and the move to keep removals within a single carbon market — this ensures confidence and a level playing field – supporting investment into high-integrity removals.
“As the regulatory environment for GGRs develops, it’s crucial that the UK supports the existing assets that are capable of delivering negative emissions and moves forward with the implementation of these developments as quickly as possible. The end of ROCs means there is a significant risk that by the time GGR regulations are in place, the UK will have no BECCS sector left.
“We will continue working with policymakers to ensure that BECCs for sub-100MW biomass assets is achievable and that these plants can fulfil their potentially huge contribution to net zero.”