Wood waste legislation boosts green energy industry

Rod McInnes, CEO Timber Queensland said this legitimate use of a biomass waste product is a no-brainer for a society that is trying to move away from dirty energy and increase the use of renewable power.

“The waste can only come from legal and responsibly managed forests certified by the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS) and the Forest Stewardship Council,” said Rod McInnes.

“It makes common sense to use offcuts, sawdust and bark that is otherwise left as fuel for bushfires or left to rot as fuel for a green energy industry,” he said.

Mr McInnes said that Australia’s tightly regulated and carefully managed native forestry industry will ensure that, as legislated, the use of native forest wood for the primary purpose of generating renewable electricity is not eligible for renewable energy certificates. 

“Those who voted against the legislation have nothing to fear, the notion that forests would ever be harvested for biomass is economic nonsense as there is no sense in a sawmiller incurring costs of approximately $140 tonne to purchase, cut, snig, haul and chip a native forest log to receive around $20 tonne for the chip,” he said.