The NSW Legislative Council has expressed concern about a push by industry to burn native forests for electricity and hydrogen production.
A motion, moved by Independent NSW MP Justin Field, noted there were "increasing efforts" to open up the state's native forests for energy production.
The motion asserted support for "the use of genuinely renewable and sustainable biomass" but it raised "concerns about the potential impact on native forests of expanding access to native forest biomaterials for the biomass to energy sector."
The motion, which was unanimously supported, followed last week's International Day of Action on Big Biomass, which saw activists from Forest Defence NSW protest at Redbank Power Station near Singleton.
Power station owner Verdant Earth Technologies is fighting in the Land and Environment Court for the right to burn about a million tonnes of native forest biomass for electricity and hydrogen production annually.
"Native forest biomass is not renewable energy and is not green and I welcome the bipartisan support within the Parliament raising concerns about industry plans to burn and gassify native forests for energy," Mr Field said.
"This is a warning signal to timber industry spruikers who are attempting to exploit the burgeoning hydrogen industry to create a new market for native forest wood chips. The Parliament is watching closely."
The Legislative Council action follows a NSW Legislative Assembly Committee on Environment and Planning inquiry into the 'Sustainability of energy supply and resources in NSW'. The committee found native forest biomass was not a renewable energy source.
In a separate speech last week Mr Field named the corporate players and lobbyists, including including "Verdant Earth Technologies" and "Sweetman Renewables", which he said were trying to take advantage of the 'hydrogen hype' by seeking to increase the use of biomass.
"The people of NSW do not want our precious native forests to be thrown in the furnace. NSW Parliament doesn't either," Mr Field said.
"It's time for the Perrotet Government and Energy Minister and Treasurer Matt Kean to remove the legislative loopholes which continue to allow native forests to be burned for energy
The International Day of Action on aims to raise awareness about the importance of protecting forests as carbon storage and to highlight the risks posed by the biomass industry.
