Biomass in the United Kingdom

The 2.6 GW biomass Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire
British grid electricity in 2024[1]
  1. Wind (30.0%)
  2. Nuclear (14.0%)
  3. Biomass (6.80%)
  4. Solar (5.00%)
  5. Hydro (2.00%)
  6. Storage (1.20%)
  7. Imports (14.1%)
  8. Coal (0.60%)
  9. Natural gas (26.3%)

Biomass generated 40.1 TWh of electricity in the United Kingdom in 2024 – about 7.1% of total UK output – from 3.8 GW of dedicated plant biomass and co-firing capacity.[2][3] The sector is dominated by large coal-to-biomass conversions such as Drax (2.6 GW) and Lynemouth (420 MW), with new plants planned such as the 299 MW Tees Renewable Energy Plant.[4][5][6]

History

Tilbury B was the UK’s first large-scale coal unit to trial 100 % biomass firing (2011–2013).

In 2003 Drax Power Station began co-firing biomass as a renewable alternative to coal.[7]

  • 2012 – the 750 MW Tilbury B hoped to become the world’s largest biomass unit[8] but was shut down in 2013.[9]
  • 2013–2018 – Drax converted three of its six 660 MW units and built four 80 000-t storage domes.[4]
  • 2021 – Coal generation fell below 2% of UK electricity; biomass overtook it for the first time.[10]
  • September 2024 – the final coal plant at Ratcliffe-on-Soar closed, leaving converted biomass as the only solid-fuel baseload option.[11]

Capacity and generation

vertical bar chart of between 2010 and 2024
Source: DESNZ Energy Trends 2025, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.[2]

Major biomass power stations

Station Location Output (MW) Type Fuel source Notes
Drax North Yorkshire 2 580 Conversion Imported pellets (US SE; Canada) Largest biomass plant in the world[4]
Lynemouth Power Station Northumberland 420 Conversion Imported pellets Full biomass since 2018[5]
Snetterton Norfolk 44 New build Straw & chips Supplies beet-sugar refinery
Wheldon Road CHP Selby 75 CHP Pellets Supplies Drax rail unloading facility

Heat sector

Biomass supplied 6 % of UK heat demand in 2023, mainly through industrial CHP and ~200 000 domestic pellet/wood-chip boilers accredited under the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).[12]

Transport biofuels

Under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) suppliers blended 1.89 billion litres of sustainable liquid biofuel in 2024 (9.1% by energy).[13]

Economics and subsidies

Between 2012 and 2024 Drax alone received £11 billion in Renewable Obligation and CfD support; 2024 top-up payments totalled £869 million.[14] Critics argue that burning imported wood is neither cost-effective nor carbon-neutral.[15]

Sustainability debate

Main article: Environmental impact of biomass

A 2025 analysis by Ember found Drax emitted 13.3 Mt CO₂ in 2024 – more than the UK’s six most carbon-intensive gas plants combined.[16] NGOs and academics question the UK’s carbon-accounting rules that rate imported biomass as zero-emission at the point of combustion.[17] The proposed Tees Renewable Energy Plant is being challenged in court because of alleged environmental impacts.[18]

Policy and targets

The UK Biomass Strategy 2023 sets a hierarchy of uses favouring waste biomass and hard-to-electrify sectors and envisages up to 5 Mt CO₂ y⁻¹ of durable removals via BECCS by 2030.[19]

Records

  • 28 December 2024: Bioenergy supplied 24% of UK electricity during a low-wind evening peak, the highest hourly share to date.[20]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Britain's Electricity Explained: 2024 Review". National Grid ESO. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Energy Trends March 2025". Department for Energy Security & Net Zero. 27 March 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  3. ^ "Capacity and production statistics Q4 2024". Electric Insights. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  4. ^ a b c "Drax Group Annual Report & Accounts 2024" (PDF). Drax Group. May 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Lynemouth Biomass Conversion Project". Spencer Group. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  6. ^ "Tees Renewable Energy Plant – project overview". MGT Teesside. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  7. ^ "How to switch a power station off coal". Drax Global. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  8. ^ Macalister, Terry (30 May 2011). "RWE to convert Tilbury power station into biomass plant". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  9. ^ Harvey, Fiona; Starkey, Natalie (5 July 2013). "RWE npower closes Tilbury biomass power station". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  10. ^ "The UK power sector in 2021". Ember. 11 January 2022.
  11. ^ "End of an era as Britain's last coal-fired power plant shuts down". The Guardian. 30 September 2024.
  12. ^ "Renewable Heat Incentive statistics – April 2024". DESNZ. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  13. ^ "RTFO statistics 2024 – fourth provisional release". Department for Transport. June 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Drax biomass subsidies in 2024". Ember. 3 April 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Burning wood for power "not necessary" for UK energy goals". The Guardian. 22 January 2025.
  16. ^ "Drax remains UK's top carbon emitter with 16% rise". Energy Live News. 17 July 2025.
  17. ^ "UK bioenergy expansion poses fresh climate threat". Reuters. 19 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Teesside 'net zero' plant aids energy security, court hears". www.bbc.com. 5 March 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
  19. ^ "UK Biomass Strategy – summary". Drax. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Bioenergy: the balancing beast". Electric Insights. 31 March 2025.
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