FEDERAL Lyons MP Eric Hutchinson has welcomed the Senate vote to put native forest wood waste back into the Renewable Energy Target as a vote for common sense.
Mr Hutchinson said that it had always made sense for biomass to be included in the RET, especially in Tasmania.
“As Australian Forest Products Association chief executive Ross Hampton so aptly says – until we grow square trees, Tasmania will always have huge amounts of residues and offcuts from sustainable harvesting and processing operations,’’ Mr Hutchinson said.
“Now that renewable energy certificates will again be available for biomass, it will be put to a better use as a renewable resource.’’
Mr Hutchinson noted that the vote in the Senate last night to include forest wood waste in the RET was supported by Tasmanian Senator Jackie Lambie as well as Senators Day, Leyonhjelm, Madigan, Muir, Wang and Xenophon but not by the Greens or Labor.
He said that it was disappointing and made no sense that Labor had decided to side with the Greens to vote against an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions.
“This has been supported by the World Wildlife Fund and previously supported by Federal Labor,’’ he said.
“It was only when Labor did a deal with the Greens that biomass came out of RET.
“It was even acknowledged in the Independent Panel of Climate Change report as the right thing to do.
“The science is in and unquestioned.’’
Mr Hutchinson said that including forest waste in the RET could pave the way for new projects in regional Tasmanian communities using bioenergy.
Recent research has found that carbon emissions can be significantly reduced by replacing coal generated electricity with wood biomass, he said.
Federal Lyons MHR Eric Hutchinson
