The dark side of green energy

Amid growing concerns about the impact of climate change, many countries are increasingly adopting green energy sources as a means to mitigate its effects and transition towards a more sustainable future. One such method is biomass, which involves harnessing energy from the combustion of organic matter such as wood and plants.

But although it is viewed by some as a beacon of hope in the fight against climate change, biomass energy is now facing scrutiny due to its detrimental effects on forests and other ecosystems.

Re-growing trees might over time absorb carbon emitted during the burning of biomass for energy production, but "this takes a very long time - from tens to hundreds of years," say experts from the Association Workshop For All Beings, a prominent Polish non-profit organisation. 

Meanwhile, biomass production incurs a significant environmental cost, contributing to increased rates of deforestation, forest degradation and loss of biodiversity.

The Association Workshop For All Beings is at the forefront of the fight against biomass, as Polish forests continue to be decimated as a result of this booming industry. "Protecting forests is in the DNA of our group," Augustyn Mikos, one of its members, told FairPlanet.  

Environmental paradox 

The concept behind biomass is simple: utilising the energy stored in organic matter such as wood pellets to generate electricity or heat. Proponents of this methods argue that while biomass combustion produces carbon emissions, the process is ultimately carbon-neutral since plants absorb CO2 as they grow. 

In reality, however, "Carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy produced as a result of burning wood biomass are even greater than those associated with burning fossil fuels," Augustyn Mikos explained, adding that "The large-scale use of biomass for energy production accelerates climate change."

"On top of that," he said, "biomass burning contributes to increased air pollution, which is the cause of tens of thousands of premature deaths in Poland."

Polish climate activists from Youth Strike for Climate Poland echo Mikos' concerns, emphasising that "the environmental benefits of burning wood exist only on paper, but in practice, treating forests as fuel-source only deepens the climate crisis."

Polish forests in peril

Poland is currently the fifth-highest consumer of energy from biomass among all member states of the European Union. And while the country might not yet be in the lead, it has "one of the highest biomass potentials in the EU," according to researchers from Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun. 

As stated in a report published last year by Workshop For All Beings, "between 2005 and 2020, Poland's bioenergy sector experienced dynamic growth. The total capacity of biomass installations increased seven times (697%) from less than 190 MW to 1,512 MW. The amount of wood biomass consumed in the bioenergy sector increased almost 140 times (13,852%) in the same period, from 35 thousand m3 to 4.9 million m3 per year."

Now, the report indicates, "each Polish power plant using wood biomass burns the equivalent of several hectares or more of woodland per day."

Experts from the organisation link Poland’s spike in biomass usage to its membership in the EU, which in recent years has been encouraging member states to turn to biomass, highlighting the key role of bioeconomy in achieving the environmental and climate goals under the European Green Deal. 

Workshop For All Beings' report states that "the main reason for the rapidly growing use of forest biomass for energy production is national and EU legislation. It is solely due to the recognition of biomass as a renewable source that Poland has been able to meet EU targets for the share of energy from renewable sources in energy production."

Regrettably, Poland, where over a third of the land is forested, has been grappling with the adverse consequences of this unregulated expansion.

Speaking to FairPlanet, Augustyn Mikos pointed out that "most of the biomass burned in Poland for energy production is timber from Polish woodlands. Accordingly, the growing demand for biomass leads to more logging, which negatively affects the condition and biodiversity of Polish forests."

Research published in Nature Journal revealed that the extent of deforestation in Poland saw a staggering rise of nearly 60 percent between 2016 and 2018. And the situation is likely to worsen, as the Polish government predicts a 56 percent increase in the procurement of biomass from domestic resources by 2030.

A call for change

"Recognizing the urgency of the situation, the Workshop For All Beings is actively engaged in halting logging operations on Polish soil and advocating for the expansion of protected areas. Through persistent efforts, its members successfully halted such activities in the Białowieza Forest for over a year and a half, and temporarily stopped logging in the Madohora reserve.

Moreover, the association is advocating for favourable forest protection regulations at both the national and EU levels. After receiving an appeal by Workshop For All Beings prepared, WWF Poland Foundation and the Frank Bold Foundation, the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that Poland must provide legal verification of forest management plans to the public. 

Making recommendations for Polish policymakers, Augustyn Mikos suggested that "the government [...] increase funding for programs that support thermal retrofitting of buildings, small photovoltaic installations and energy storage, especially among lower-income households."

He added, "Programs aimed at replacing heat sources in homes should shift from funding the purchase of biomass burners and instead promote the installation of heat pumps."

Mikos told FairPlanet that Workshop For All Beings also campaigns for the government to grant the public the right to have a say in matters concerning public forests. 

From awareness to action

For Poland to be able to mitigate the harm of the biomass industry, Mikos pointed out, the public must not only be aware of the problem, but also join the fight against it. "The role of local communities in forest conservation endeavours is invaluable," he said. 

He referenced the organisation’s campaign to enlarge the Madohora reserve as a shining example of how effective community involvement can be: during the operation, Workshop For All Beings received support from residents, waterworks and local associations. By forming a broad coalition and conveying their demands to the State Forest Service, local stakeholders managed to halt planned logging.

According to Mikos, self-organisation of citizens is key, and communities must engage with the authorities responsible for managing at-risk areas and clearly express their demands for forest conservation. 

Finally, he said, achieving a sustainable reduction in wood biomass consumption necessitates a sensible energy transition. For this reason, Workshop For All Beings highlights the need for individuals to move away from relying on biomass as an energy source.

Image by Bart Zimny.