Policy background

• The European Renewable Energy Directive underpins sector growth by requiring 20% of European energy to be from renewable sources by 2020
  
  
• UK share of EU commitment means 15% of its electricity, heat and fuel for transport must come from renewable sources by 2020
  
  
  • Compared with less than 3% today
    
    
  • Most of the UK commitment will have to be delivered by the electricity generation sector
    
    
    • this means that in excess of UK 30% of electricity must come from renewables by 2020
• The growth potential for the UK renewable energy sector over the next few years is therefore unprecedented
  
  
• UK Renewables Advisory Board estimate over £100bn of investment required in the sector over next 10 years
  
  
• Biomass is the only renewable generation technology that can deliver energy that is not intermittent, seasonal or weather dependent
  
  
  • Gaia Power’s plants expect to operate for over 90% of the time, including the cold still winter days when energy is most citically needed
    
    
  • This compares with the 25-40% load factors and inherent variability of output from wind turbines
    
    
  • Gaia Power’s energy source will not require fossil fuel power plants to be running inefficiently in case the wind drops.