When fossil fuels where first used to supplement natural energy sources - wind, water, horse, and human power - a large amount of visible pollution was generated. The subsequent refining of these fuels, and the development of cleaner, more efficient, combustion technologies, has minimised this pollution. The costs of this have been carried easily by technological advance, and rapidly increasing scale of use.

Meanwhile, the invisible pollution - the acid and greenhouse gases – released now in very large volumes to atmosphere, have increasingly visible consequences. The mitigation of climate change is a major challenge, irrespective of national, or individual, contributions. This will be paid through new carbon taxes, from which biomass fuels will be exempt.

At this point all fuels start will be able to compete on an equal footing, and biomass will be a competitive energy source at prices as low as €3/GJ, particularly if the necessary supply chain and end-use investment can be supported by rapid uptake.

To achieve an initial, economic, foothold in the market the first bioenergy projects do require subsidies, which developers like ESD Biomass use to try and implement viable electricity, and biomass fuel projects.