Biofuelwatch

Raising awareness of the negative impacts of industrial biofuels and bioenergy

Biofuelwatch provides systemic analysis based on secondary and occasionally primary research and undertakes advocacy and campaigning in relation to the climate, environmental, human rights and public health impacts of large-scale industrial bioenergy.

Our work

BIOFUELS

Biofuelwatch challenges the expansion of crop based and waste based biofuels for road transport and aviation. We highlight their real climate impacts, including indirect land use change, deforestation, land grabbing, and risks to food security and human rights. We call for genuine emissions reductions rather than replacing fossil fuels with other forms of burning.

BECCS AND BIOCHAR

Biofuelwatch opposes climate geoengineering approaches such as BECCS and biochar. These technologies are unproven at scale and depend on vast amounts of biomass, with serious risks to forests, ecosystems and communities. They also risk delaying real climate action by diverting attention from urgent emissions cuts.

#AXEDRAX CAMPAIGN

The Axe Drax campaign challenges large scale tree burning for electricity and the public subsidies that support it. We oppose the expansion of biomass power and plans to combine it with carbon capture. Our work focuses on protecting forests, exposing false climate claims, and ending support for destructive bioenergy.

BIOENERGY IN CALIFORNIA

In California, bioenergy and carbon removal proposals are being promoted as climate solutions. Biofuelwatch tracks these developments and highlights the risks of locking in combustion based infrastructure and expanding biomass demand. We advocate for real climate action based on cutting fossil fuel use, not replacing it with large scale bioenergy.

EUROPE: SUPPORT FOR CAMPAIGNS AGAINST BIG BIOMASS ACROSS EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

We support campaigns across Europe opposing large scale biomass and related infrastructure. Our work connects groups across countries and shares evidence on climate impacts, forest loss, biodiversity harm, air pollution and community impacts. We push for policies that prioritise real renewables and reduced energy demand.

BIOMASS BACKGROUND

Biomass Basics explains why burning wood and other biomass is not a climate solution. It covers carbon emissions, forest impacts, air pollution and the problems with sustainability claims. This section provides clear explanations and links to evidence for people new to the issue.

Industrial scale bioenergy is harming communities and ecosystems as well as the climate

Featured

NESTE’s Biofuels: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

Report about the Green Gold Label biomass certification scheme

Urgent action: Please ask your MP to say no to Drax’s AI data centre bid

Illusory Emissions Reductions from Biofuels Undermine California Progress on Climate

Latest updates

Resources – Biomass

Apr 29, 2014

A slist of peer-reviewed studies, NGO reports, briefings and letters on biomass See also: Map of UK biomass power stations Frequently Asked Questions Biomass Sustainability Standards – a Credible Tool for Avoiding Negative Impacts from Large-scale Bioenergy?, joint...

Briefing about RWE’s biomass power station in Markinch

Apr 28, 2014

RWE’s biomass power station in Markinch: What might the environmental and public health impacts be?, Biofuelwatch briefing, updated October 2014

DECC’s latest renewable electricity subsidy guarantees threaten forests, communities and climate

Apr 25, 2014

+ Drax have been guaranteed subsidies for converting a second of their six coal power station units to biomass. Each converted unit will require pellets made from 5.5 million tonnes of wood [1] - that is wood from slow-growing whole trees, the only type of biomass...

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