NB Lung recognizes the urgent need to transition away from coal-fired electricity, as required by the federal Clean Electricity Regulations. However, we are deeply concerned by the government’s proposal to replace coal with large-scale biomass combustion.
Burning biomass is not a clean or renewable solution.
While biomass is often labelled “carbon-neutral”, this designation overlooks the fact that it takes decades or even centuries of growth for a tree to absorb the amount of carbon that is re-released when we burn it —time we do not have in the face of accelerating climate change. Due to its lower energy density, we have to burn more biomass to achieve the same energy output as from coal. In the short and medium term, this means greater emissions released per kW/h of energy produced, undermining Canada’s climate commitments.
Read More: CCNB
The Conservation Council of New Brunswick shares more on several issues on their ECONEWS blog.
The health impacts of biomass combustion are also serious and underappreciated.
Biomass burning releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and other toxic air pollutants known to worsen asthma, heart disease, and other respiratory illnesses. Communities near biomass plants, as well as vulnerable populations such as children and older adults, would bear the burden of increased air pollution.
New Brunswick needs to pursue truly clean, sustainable, and health-protective alternatives, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and enhanced energy efficiency programs. These options not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also improve air quality and public health outcomes.
We urge the government to reconsider its reliance on biomass as a cornerstone of its decarbonization strategy and to prioritize energy solutions that protect both the climate and human health.