Contrary to the claims made in favour of burning forest biomass for energy, what this study shows is a continued upwards trend in the risk of forest fires. In other words, it is the same regional trend that was shown in the graphic from the Pilling on the Pressure study, drawn up and presented at the beginning of 2023, for the whole country.
Instead of reducing fire risks, especially in forest areas, the existence of biomass plants could, on the contrary, be a cause of increased risk. Wood affected by fires, due to its lower price to forest producers and lower moisture content, is more advantageous for bioenergy. These factors seem to be a double bonus.
In addition to the need for public funding to make the biomass energy business viable, it is important to keep an eye on the use of partially burnt wood in energy generation. Although the research into the impacts of the Fundão plant has especially focussed on noise, it will be important to pay special attention to the impacts of air pollution on public health in the near future.
