"Environment Minister, Michael Russell, announced today that he has asked Forestry Commission Scotland to convene an industry-wide 'task force' to consider how to increase the supply of wood for renewable energy production.
The new task force will consider ways of bringing forward supplies from currently under-utilised sources such as forest residues, short rotation coppice and under-managed woodlands. It will also consider the impact of increased demand for wood fuel on the future balance between supply and demand within the wood processing sector.
The task force will be led by Forestry Commission Scotland and will include representatives from the renewable energy, wood processing and land management sectors.
The announcement was made during a visit to E.ON's £90 million biomass plant in Lockerbie, the largest of its kind in the UK. Currently, E.ON expects to begin testing the plant after the summer and commission the station by the turn of the year. Overall, the new biomass station could provide over 300 jobs in the forestry and farming sector.
Mr Russell said:
"The E.ON biomass plant in Lockerbie is certainly very impressive. When it is operational it will generate enough green power to meet the needs of 70,000 homes and displace the emission of 140,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year, a significant contribution towards renewable energy targets.
"It is clear that the demand for wood as a raw material is increasing in Scotland. This is due to more forward looking businesses and organisations opting for wood as a fuel for renewable energy. This is good news but we need to work harder to ensure that the correct supplies are available to meet the upsurge in demand.
"The new Scottish Government is committed to supporting the woodfuel industry and we want to do this by working in partnership with the industry. This new task force signals a fresh drive to develop the woodfuel sector and maximise the opportunities.""
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