Vattenfall remains silent and Politics refers from pillar to post
Amsterdam, June 8st 2024
Dear friend and news follower of the Clean Air Committee,
While in The Hague, behind closed doors, the upcoming ultra-right cabinet distributes its ministerial positions, this week we went to the polls in Brussels. To vote or not to vote and for whom? When it comes to tightening Climate and Nature policy, it certainly matters who becomes the largest. We hold our breath.
Because Europe likes to give positive signals about its increasing share of renewable energy to reduce CO2 emissions. This has become apparent in recent years. But up to 40% of Europe’s ‘renewable energy’ is still obtained from large-scale burning of wood.
The following topics in this newsletter:
1. Our publication of the manual ‘Wiser with wood‘, which we wrote in collaboration with Fern (EU)[1] and ClientEarth[2];
2. The ‘positive-sounding passage’ about biomass in the outline agreement of the new
government.[3] But is it also positive? Our response;
3. The minister’s response to the recently adopted motion by the House of Representatives ‘Strong discouragement of and no subsidy for importing wood pellets’ [4] and our response;
4. New response from Vattenfall-Zweden-Headkwartier [5] to our new questions about, among other things, the status of the planned biomass power plant in Diemen.
[1] https://www.fern.org/
[2] https://www.linkedin.com/company/clientearth/
[3] https://www.kabinetsformatie2023.nl/documenten/publicaties/2024/05/16/hoofdlijnenakkoord-tussen-de-fracties-van-pvv-vvd-nsc-en-bbb
[4] https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/moties/detail?id=2024Z06923&did=2024D15962
[5] New response from Vattenfall-Zweden-Headkwartier to our new questions about, among other things, the status of the planned biomass power plant in Diemen.
1 New publication: Verstandiger met Hout | Wiser with Wood
In recent months, together with Fern and ClientEarth, we wrote a manual for policymakers and politicians, entitled: Wiser with Wood (in Dutch: Verstandiger met Hout). The manual is intended for the translation and implementation of the revised European Directive ‘renewable energy’ (RED3|2023) into Dutch legislation.
The main objective is to achieve a directive for better protection of climate, forests, biodiversity and air quality, to the benefit of human, animal and nature health. In the manual we provide solutions to protect and improve climate, forests, biodiversity and air quality based on the problems arising from the EU’s biomass policy in the past decade.
In addition, recommendations are made to help the biomass sector with the transition from low-quality applications of wood (wood combustion for energy) to high-quality use (carbon capture) and the use of the cascade principle, in accordance with the Dutch SER advice (2020).
The way in which biomass energy is now regulated, including in the new EU directive (RED III), needs to be greatly improved at all relevant levels of decision-making. Member states have been explicitly given the opportunity to do this within this directive. They must take this space. Read our letter that we sent to the minister.
2 Our response to the outline agreement of the upcoming government
On May 16, the Outline Agreement of the upcoming ultra-right government (PVV, NSC, VVD, BBB) was published. Government efforts on culture, education and nature, among other things, will be canceled (measures to preserve nature reserves and nitrogen approach will be cancelled). Targets for biodiversity, water and air quality will not be achieved.
The positive-sounding passage:
Subsidies for bioenergy combined with CO2 capture and storage (BECCS) and biomass power stations will be stopped as soon as possible, in accordance with the previously agreed phase-out path.” (H.5 about energy transition, security of supply and climate adaptation)
Sounds good, but in fact it is a repetition of moves and a copy of previous chords. Since the SER advised the cabinet in 2020 to stop biomass combustion as soon as possible, the sentence has been repeated pro forma.
Pay particular attention to the phrase: ‘in accordance with the phase-out path’! Minister Jetten has already lifted the phase-out path with a cessation of new biomass subsidies in 2022. An important question that must be asked: which phase-out path is this referring to? A phase-out path is undefined and can also mean 5 or 25 years. The existing biomass subsidies (already promised) will continue for 5-12 years for the time being.
It is also striking that the investment in renewable energy is decreasing. This keeps the status of biomass up to date. According to the Clean Air Committee, the upcoming government can immediately make its intention concrete, unlike previous cabinets, with the new round of subsidies for renewable energy (SDE++) in September 2024.
New subsidies for heating networks and greenhouse horticulture have not been given since 2022. Biomass subsidies for industrial heat are still available. But the existing subsidies for biomass power stations and for the combustion of wood pellets in coal-fired power stations can also be stopped immediately. The same applies to the new subsidies (SDE++) for CO2 capture and storage (CCS) at biomass and coal-fired power stations. Plans with which RWE hopes to continue with large-scale biomass plus CCS (BECCS) in 2030. A number of parliamentary factions have also asked the government to refrain from this. The minister has promised to provide answers before the summer. Keep following us, we’ll keep an eye on it.
3. Minister responds: from pillar to post?
In April, the motion ‘Strong discouragement of the import of woody biomass from abroad and no provision of new subsidies for this’ was adopted in the House of Representatives with three-quarters of the votes. In his response the minister states that the motion is not feasible due to agreements on world trade (WTO). He does indicate that he understands the concerns in Parliament and society about biomass. If the minister means what he says, he can, according to the Clean Air Committee, remove concerns with a drastic change of course. We are helping the minister with three measures:
A. immediately stop the incentive measures (SDE) for biomass energy, including the subsidies already granted. Provide compensation for the latter category;
B. encourage to focus on high-quality applications of wood, in accordance with the SER advice (2020);
C. In addition invest at national and regional level in education about awareness (industry and society) and the importance of energy savings in combination with restoration, protection and expansion of our most important natural resources: forests and biodiversity.
4. Vattenfall is clenching its jaws
In its written answers to the questions asked by the Clean Air Committee during the shareholders’ meeting, the energy company refused to respond. The Clean Air Committee asked Vattenfall if and when it will withdraw the biomass plans for Diemen, now that the highest court (Council of State) of the Netherlands has annulled the environmental permit (August 2023) and thus the conditions for eligibility for a €395 million government subsidy have come to an end. to expire. It has been dead quiet for almost a year now. According to Vattenfall, the plan is on hold, but society wants clarity. The subsidy remains unused on the shelf. Time for plain language?
We will continue to question Vattenfall and in the meantime continue our appeal against the state regarding the re-allocated subsidies of € 395 million to Vattenfall.
Join us and support our work for clean air!
All these developments require action. Action through new information campaigns, manifestations, street actions in collaboration with science and concerned citizens, but also new legal procedures, such as those we have initiated against Vattenfall and RWE. We could really use your help for this. The Clean Air Committee is not sponsored by the Postcode Lottery, government, etc. and does not want it to be. We operate independently, based on an interest and a goal, namely:towards clean air as a fundamental right and the protection and expansion of forests and biodiversity, and therefore against the biomass industry.
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Maarten and Fenna
On behalf of the Team of Comite Schone Lucht (the Clean Air Committee)
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