Edinburgh (Leith docks) was threatened by a giant biomass power station - burning millions of tonnes of imported wood 24/7 to generate electricity (wasting heat) - close to local housing, dangerously polluting and generating increased lorry traffic. Too big! Wrong place! Not green!

Partly due to the strength of community opposition the developers, Forth Energy, withdrew their application, in 2012. Hurray!

However, we need to be vigilant - they are quite likely to return with another proposal for a biomass plant in Leith. Meanwhile Grangemouth, Dundee and Rosyth are still threatened by giant biomass plants. As long as the developers - Forth Energy - can make huge profits out of subsidies, they will be keen to build these incinerators of trees.

We oppose the payment of public subsidies for biomass burning - whether for electricity only, combined heat and power, or for co-firing. Scottish Government is still deliberating the matter but their initial response was not good; although they say they oppose large power stations, there are loopholes you can drive a truck through, that will allow unsustainable large scale imported biomass burning to be rewarded by subsidies - really just following the EU / UK line.

Now we need to keep an eagle eye on development planning, as Leith Docks are developed into a new industrial zone, supported by Scottish Enterprise, City of Edinburgh Council, Forth Ports, and industries coming to set up in the dock area.

Read Greener Leith's article about possible Leith biomass comeback plans.