How is electricity generated using biomass?
In the Government’s Clean Power Action Plan, sustainable biomass has been classed as zero carbon. This means that biomass can be used to help achieve net zero by 2050.
On this page, you can read how biomass is used to generate electricity.
How does biomass generate electricity?
The source – To begin the biomass process, trees are cut down and collected as fuel. This is often done in managed forests where replanting can ensure sustainability.
Combustion – The harvested tree wood is then set on fire in a controlled environment, which is typically a biomass furnace or boiler.
Heat Transfer – The heat from the burning wood is used to boil water stored in pipes or tanks within the boiler system.
Steam – As the water reaches its boiling point, it turns into high-pressure steam (steam that is maintained at a pressure significantly higher than the pressure of our atmosphere). The steam then rises and is directed through a system of pipes toward a turbine.
Turbine Activation – The force of the steam spins the blades of a turbine, which is connected to a generator. The generator then converts the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine into electrical energy.
What is the impact of biomass?
The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) asked us to analyse the impact of withdrawing large-scale biomass generation from Great Britain's electricity system between 2027 – 2031.
We found that biomass can help us achieve our net zero goals.
Moving forward with biomass
Overall, biomass plays a vital role in proving our electricity and continues to do so on our journey to zero-carbon operations.
Our findings in July 2025 showed that biomass provided 8.2% of electricity, which was up by 1.2% since 2024!