[Greens-Media] media release: Wood-chip power not clean or green

[John Kaye]

Wood-chip power not clean or green

Media release:  7 March 2014

The O'Farrell government is condemning the native forests of NSW to decades of devastation by creating a new market for woodchips, according to Greens NSW MP John Kaye

Dr Kaye was commenting on Energy Minister Anthony Roberts' announcement that native forest materials that are currently produced for wood-chipping to make paper pulp will no longer excluded as fuels for powers stations.

Dr Kaye said: "The O'Farrell government has condemned the forests of this state to decades of destruction.

"Instead of using the collapse in the woodchip market as an opportunity to give the forests a much-needed reprieve, Energy Minister Roberts has green-lighted an industry that will consume millions of trees.

"The O'Farrell government cannot hide behind the excuse that the biomass industry will not increase current logging and clearing rates.

"The Minister had the opportunity to take the pressure of the forests by letting the woodchip industry sink under its own failing business model. Instead he has created a new market and perpetuated the unsustainable exploitation of the state's forests.

"Apart from consuming more than 1 million tonnes of trees each year, the native forestry logging industry receives annual state-government subsidies of more than $8 million.

"Minister Roberst has given new life to a heavily subsidised, highly destructive industry. Taxpayers will now be forced to continue to footing the bill to see their forests devastated.

"Calling wood-chipping a sustainable source of energy is green-washing on a monumental scale.

"The energy produced by burning native wood-chips is neither sustainable nor climate friendly.

"Cutting down native forests and feeding the vegetation into power station furnaces produces up to six times the amount of greenhouse gases as the equivalent-sized coal fired generator.

"Ripping hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wood out of the temperate forests of NSW not only devastates the ecosystems but also releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide and methane from the soil.

"No one can call this renewable or sustainable. The energy is carbon intensive and the fuel source destroys forests and critical habitat.

"The same government that calls native forestry biomass renewable is busy undermining the genuine clean energy sources like wind and solar.

"Just days after Prime Minister Tony Abbott declared Australia's forests open for business, Energy Minister Anthony Roberts has turned the power industry loose on the state's forests.

"The O'Farrell government's biomass proposal will see the so-called 'waste' stream from native forest wood-chipping become the driver of logging rather than the by-product.

"The native forests of this state are about to be exposed to another layer of exploitation with devastating consequences for threatened koala populations and other animals," Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455



-------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kaye
Greens NSW MP

P: (02) 9230 2668 | F: facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc<http://www.facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc> | T: @johnkgreens<twitter.com/johnkgreens> | W: www.johnkaye.org.au<http://www.johnkaye.org.au>
Mail: Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

This email is solely for the named addressee and may be confidential. You should only read, disclose, transmit, copy, distribute, act in reliance on or commercialise the contents if you are authorised to do so. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the sender by email immediately and then destroy any copy of this message. Except where otherwise specifically stated, views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual sender.
[Description: MC900437266[1]]  Please consider the environment before printing this email.


From: Peter Hannam [mailto:phannam at fairfaxmedia.com.au]<mailto:[mailto:phannam at fairfaxmedia.com.au]>
Sent: Friday, 7 March 2014 12:32 PM
To: John Kaye
Subject: Re: Native Forestry Biomass

hi...I'm writing it up now.

chrs Peter

On 7 March 2014 11:37, John Kaye <John.Kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au<mailto:John.Kaye at parliament.nsw.gov.au>> wrote:
We would like to comment on this

Thanks

John


From: Tim Potter <Tim.Potter at minister.nsw.gov.au<mailto:Tim.Potter at minister.nsw.gov.au>>
Date: 7 March 2014 11:06:23 am AEDT
To: Tim Potter <Tim.Potter at minister.nsw.gov.au<mailto:Tim.Potter at minister.nsw.gov.au>>
Subject: Anthony Roberts med rel: Removing Barriers to Renewable Energy Generation
Friday 7 March 2014

REMOVING BARRIERS TO
RENEWABLE ENERGY GENERATION

Minister for Resources and Energy Anthony Roberts today announced changes to the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation allowing two additional types of biomaterials to be burnt to generate electricity.

Mr Roberts said the additional biomaterials to be used for energy are invasive native species, the tree heads and offcuts of trees cut for sawlogs and trees that might otherwise be made into pulp for paper production.

"The new regulation is in line with the NSW Renewable Energy Action Plan to remove barriers to renewable energy production,"
Mr Roberts said.

"The Regulation has been designed to ensure that there is no increase in the intensity of clearing or logging.

"Only biomaterial that is legally cleared in accordance with relevant approvals can be used to generate electricity."

Mr Roberts said the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) will require all private electricity operators to keep a detailed record of the amount of biomass they receive and burn and where this material comes from.

"The Forestry Corporation of NSW will publicly report on its website the volumes and areas where biomass is sourced from State Forests," he said.

"This information will be reported on an individual State Forest basis, with the requirement to report formalised in the Integrated Forestry Operations Approvals (logging licences).

"Further, the EPA will audit this information, including using satellite imagery where appropriate to ensure environmental values are not compromised."

Minister for Western NSW Kevin Humphries said the changes will provide the opportunity for Western NSW to become a leader in the development of renewable energy.
"In addition to the significant environmental benefits these changes will bring, they will also help to support a viable biomass industry that will bring jobs and investment into Western NSW," Mr Humphries said.

"Western NSW has abundant biomaterial resources which will lead to a range of commercial opportunities to use these resources for electricity generation."

Parliamentary Secretary for Renewable Energy, Rob Stokes, said that renewable energy plays an increasingly important role in NSW's energy mix.

"The Liberals & Nationals Government will continue to roll out the actions in the Renewable Energy Action Plan to facilitate renewable energy generation across NSW," Mr Stokes said.


Media contact: Tim Potter   0417 822 957





-------------------------------------------------------------------
John Kaye
Greens NSW MP

P: (02) 9230 2668 | F: facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc<http://www.facebook.com/john.kaye.mlc> | T: @johnkgreens<http://twitter.com/johnkgreens> | W: www.johnkaye.org.au<http://www.johnkaye.org.au>
Mail: Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney, NSW 2000

This email is solely for the named addressee and may be confidential. You should only read, disclose, transmit, copy, distribute, act in reliance on or commercialise the contents if you are authorised to do so. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, please notify the sender by email immediately and then destroy any copy of this message. Except where otherwise specifically stated, views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual sender.
[Description: MC900437266[1]]  Please consider the environment before printing this email.





--

Peter Hannam
Environment Editor

Level 4, ODI, 1 Darling Island Rd, Pyrmont, NSW 2009
T 02 9282 2420 | M 0438 680 578

@p_hannam<https://twitter.com/p_hannam>

SMH Environment news<http://www.smh.com.au/environment>
www.smh.com.au <http://www.theage.com.au/>
<http://www.theage.com.au/>www.theage.com.au<http://www.theage.com.au/> |

The information contained in this e-mail message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail or any attached files is unauthorised. This e-mail is subject to copyright. No part of it should be reproduced, adapted or communicated without the written consent of the copyright owner. If you have received this e-mail in error please advise the sender immediately by return e-mail or telephone and delete all copies. Fairfax Media does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. Internet communications are not secure, therefore Fairfax Media does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files.