May 6, 2010

The Ecology Action Centre is calling for an immediate moratorium on burning forest biomass for 'renewable' electricity.  The Centre believes that adding long-term commitments for large-scale forest biomass harvesting for energy production, on top of the already high levels of existing forest harvesting, is not prudent at this time.

“The potential for further ecological harm to our already stressed forest ecosystems is unacceptably high,” says Jamie Simpson, forester with the Centre.  “Removing forest biomass from the slate of renewable electricity options would remove a perverse incentive that has a high risk of exacerbating ecological damage to our forests.”

While the Centre is not calling for a complete ban on biomass energy, the Centre stresses that forest biomass electricity must not be given special status and a price premium as a renewable electricity source.

“A five-year moratorium would allow time for Nova Scotia to make a rational decision about (a) whether forest biomass is an acceptable source of renewable electricity and (b) if so at what scale,” continues Simpson.
“The negative impacts of large-scale forest biomass burning for electricity on wildlife – fish birds and mammals – is as yet unknown and potentially profoundly negative” says EAC Wilderness Coordinator Raymond Plourde.  “From a biodiversity perspective we simply cannot allow a whole new wave of forest clearcutting on top of the already high levels of clearcutting currently allowed for existing industries.  The ecological cost must be factored in before any biomass power plants are allowed to be built.  Once they are built, they will be fed. ”

Instead of investing capital in large-scale forest biomass, the Centre says Nova Scotia Power and the province should (1) upgrade the grid connection with NB to allow for importing existing hydro power (to balance the intermittent nature of wind energy), and (2) upgrade the provincial grid system to allow for additional local wind development. 

The Centre believes that electricity grid upgrades is more sensible than investing $206 million in the NewPage project.  “Grid upgrades will provide more diversified benefits for Nova Scotians, and will be necessary to meet our long-term renewable energy commitments,” says Brennan Vogel, energy coordinator with the Centre.