Banner protest against
Eon’s Biomass Plans for Ironbridge
On 5th April, Shropshire Council’s planning committee will vote on an application by E.On which would allow them to partially convert Ironbridge Power Station to biomass. Under E.On’s plans, most of the electricity would still come from burning coal but around 270 MW would be generated from burning imported wood.
Please join a banner protest to object to E.On’s plans.
When? Thursday, 5th April, 9.00-10.00am
Where? Outside Shropshire Council’s offices, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate Shrewsbury, SY2 6ND – click here for a google map
Why?
Ironbridge power station is due to close at the end of 2015 at the latest because it fails EU air quality rules. E.On is looking for ways to keep this polluting and inefficient power station running indefinitely. Burning vast quantities of imported wood may offer them such an opportunity: Although large-scale biomass burning causes similar levels of pollution as coal overall, it is lower in sulphur and may there allow E.On to meet EU SO2 rules. At the same time, E.On could claim over £100 million in public subsidies (Renewable Obligation Certificates) every year.
If approved, biomass conversion will thus:
+ Make it much easier for E.On to keep Ironbridge running as a coal + wood power station long-term rather than shutting it by the end of 2015;
+ Require wood pellets from millions of tonnes of wood, most likely from the southern US to be burned every year. This means more biodiverse forests being destroyed. According to a recent study, burning wood from the southern US results in even more carbon emissions than those from any ‘replaced’ fossil fuels for 35-50 years.
Please bring a banner or placard and friends!
The protest is jointly organised by Friends of the Earth Shrewsbury, Friends of the Earth Telford and Biofuelwatch.