Biomass: The Natural Way to Power a Low-Carbon Future
Biomass heating plays a vital role in cutting carbon, supporting forest health, and powering industry sustainably.
Download the Biomass Sustainability Playbook to see the facts behind the fuel.
Sustainable Biomass:
Understanding AMP’s Approach
Biomass can be controversial. It’s often misunderstood. That’s why we believe in being transparent about how sustainable biomass works, what we use, where it comes from, and what impact it has. Biomass heating plays a vital role in cutting carbon, supporting forest health, and powering industry sustainably.
Download our sustainability playbook to see the facts behind the fuel.
Why Sustainable Biomass Matters
Heating is responsible for around a third of the UK’s carbon emissions. There’s growing urgency to reduce those emissions and biomass, when used responsibly, offers one of the most immediate and measurable ways to do that. It works with existing infrastructure, supports land management, and displaces fossil fuels while staying within the natural carbon cycle.
But not all biomass is equal. What matters is how it’s sourced, how it’s certified, and how much carbon it actually saves.
Our Approach to Sustainable Biomass
We take a lifecycle view of sustainability. That means tracking every part of the journey – from forest to fuel store – and understanding the wider impacts of how and where biomass is sourced.
We work only with certified biomass fuel suppliers, source locally wherever possible, and follow the cascading use principle: higher-quality wood becomes long-life products like timber and furniture. The lower-value material – branches, brash, bark – is used to create renewable heat.
This diagram shows a cross-section of a tree trunk, illustrating how sawmills square the circle to produce high-value timber. To create commercial products like furniture, square sections are cut from round logs – the navy areas represent this valuable wood. Typically, only 50-55% of a saw long can be made into high value timber products. The remaining pink areas, make up the sawmill residues, and are chipped mainly for use in panel board manufacturing and energy generation.
Understanding the Carbon Cycle
Biomass heating works within a natural carbon cycle. Trees naturally absorb carbon dioxide (CO₂) as they grow, locking it away. When sustainably sourced biomass like wood pellet or wood chip is burned for heat, the same amount of CO₂ is released back into the atmosphere, creating a balanced, carbon-neutral cycle. This makes biomass a renewable energy source, unlike fossil fuels, which release ancient carbon without any natural replacement.
Lifecycle analysis shows that AMP’s biomass fuels cut emissions significantly compared to oil. These savings are verified through BSL emissions thresholds and based on real-world data, contributing to the UK’s push for renewable heat sources and low-carbon heating solutions.
Our Industrial Fuel Blend: A Closer Look
On average, our industrial fuel is sourced from within approximately 50 miles of each site, helping to reduce transport emissions and support the rural economy.
Our industrial fuel blend comes from a range of sources, including urban, forestry, and sawmill residues. It contains materials such as twigs, bark, and brash. The AMP industrial biomass fuel blend has been designed to utilise very local biomass materials that don’t have any other potential use cases. Instead of the wood decaying and releasing CO₂ we can instead combust it and displace fossil fuels delivering a genuine and substantial CO₂ reduction.
Our industrial fuel blend typically consists of:
55% forestry residues
left behind after timber harvesting
40% urban arisings
from roadside and railway clearances
5% forestry residues
clean, untreated offcuts
Watch ‘A day in the life of AMP’s biomass fuel’ video to understand exactly what makes our industrial fuel blend so sustainable.
The Broader Benefits
Biomass contributes to a more sustainable energy system in several key ways:
- Encourages responsible forest management, enhancing biodiversity and carbon storage
- Strengthens the rural economy by supporting local jobs and supply chains
- Reduces dependency on imported fossil fuels, increasing energy security
- These wider benefits align with AMP’s commitment to long-term, practical sustainability.
Recognised by Global Authorities
AMP’s approach reflects widely accepted science and policy on biomass sustainability. Independent organisations and international frameworks recognise the important role biomass plays when sourced and managed responsibly.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. AMP uses biomass for decentralised, high-efficiency heat – not electricity. Our model is smaller, local, and more targeted.
No. We use residues – material left over from forestry and sawmill operations.
Some material is left for soil health and habitat. But most would rot and release CO₂. Using it for energy displaces fossil fuels.
Yes. All AMP fuels meet UK and EU sustainability requirements. We’re BSL-listed, certified, and independently audited.
Wherever possible. Our industrial blend is always locally sourced. For pellet and chip, we prioritise UK supply, using imports only when needed.
It’s simple: well managed forests improve biodiversity and save carbon.
