Public and stakeholder perceptions of 2030 bioenergy scenarios for the Yorkshire and Humber region

This study develops contrasting 2030 bioenergy scenarios for the Yorkshire and Humber region of the UK, primarily for wood, and documents the associated opinions of policy stakeholders and members of the public with a practical interest in renewable energy. Use of the region's wood resource for small- and medium-sized CHP and heat plants was found to be more attractive to these groups than use of the same resource for large or small electric power plants. Key reasons mentioned by stakeholders and the informed public groups are the higher energetic efficiency of CHP and heat relative to electricity, and perceptions of better performance in terms of local employment, local environmental impact and associated social benefits. There was also a common feeling that small-scale electric power plants were, to date, less technologically proven.