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Using biomass as a renewable fuel source in the United Kingdom has seen a sharp increase in recent years.  Referring to materials that were recently living, biomass is often obtained from the waste products of other industries such as the wood chips supplied by forestry activities.  The European Union has set forth a plan to meet 20% of its energy needs by way of renewable fuels, and Britain is central to this initiative.

At the top of the list of clients poised to make use of biomass is the transportation industry.  The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs estimates that the United Kingdom has the potential to supply 96 terawatt hours yearly through biomass.  This is significant because the transportation of materials within the United Kingdom and the import of goods from other countries requires about 54 terawatt hours.  An estimated surplus of 42 annual terawatt hours enables market growth amongst companies interested in promoting renewable energies.  Additionally, focus can be turned toward residential uses for biomass such as power for heating and lighting.

Furthering the movement of biomass in the United Kingdom is the conclusion by the UK Waste Strategy that landfills are one of the worst environmental solutions to waste.  Methane is an incredibly harmful greenhouse gas, and landfills are prime suppliers of these noxious fumes.  Because the Landfill Directive requires a 50% reduction in municipal waste, factories are incurring higher developmental costs in order to process waste in a healthier manner.  Combined with an ever-increasing landfill tax, the prospect of sloughing off organic waste is becoming costlier than ever.  These costs can be offset, however, if the organic waste is processed as a renewable fuel source rather than eliminating it altogether.

One potential problem in the United Kingdom tied to the proliferation of biomass as a renewable energy source is the abundance of wood chips required to properly maintain the initiatives.  The acceleration with which plants have sprouted up throughout the country has put a strain on wood chip supplies in the UK.  Where some would see a problem, others consider this a great opportunity.  Proponents of organic waste utilization maintain that instead of relying on a few giant biomass factories that require materials from all over, the UK can construct smaller plants across the country that are easily sustained from biomass materials nearby.  This affords more companies and investors the opportunity to get on board the biomass industry in the United Kingdom.

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Tags: Renewable Energy