Plea for sustainable plant

ANY new biomass plant in Edinburgh should use wood taken from a sustainable source, the House of Commons has heard.

Sheila Gilmore, MP for Edinburgh East, called on UK ministers to ensure new energy plants were both sustainable and "carbon costed" during a parliamentary debate.

Ms Gilmore has criticised Forth Energy's plans to build a 360 million biomass plant in Leith, arguing that it would release greenhouse gases by burning woodchip.

She said: "Communities are concerned that green plans for biomass power plants are just greenwash. Cutting down trees to burn them is not at all green. Many people in Edinburgh are concerned about the sustainability of biomass plants."

"I will be watching closely to ensure the UK Government does act to ensure our overall energy mix is green."