A new House bill seeks to position bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) as a cornerstone of U.S. climate and energy policy. Introduced by Rep. Blake Moore (R., Utah), the measure would create a federal commission within the Department of Agriculture to guide BECCS expansion, drawing in federal land managers, energy officials, timber companies, and rural counties.
“I’m thrilled to introduce the first-ever bill exclusively promoting Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS). BECCS is a novel technology uniquely positioned to promote wildfire mitigation, bolster economic development in rural America, and deliver much-needed baseload power as energy demand for data centers and artificial intelligence continues to grow,” Rep. Moore said.
Bioenergy with carbon capture for baseload power and AI
Proponents say BECCS offers a dual solution: reducing wildfire risks by turning excess forest biomass into energy while permanently storing carbon underground. The legislation also links BECCS to meeting the soaring electricity needs of data centers and artificial intelligence systems, a political acknowledgment of the tech sector’s role in shaping future energy demand.
“At Arbor, we believe BECCS has a potential to add over 200GW of baseload power to the electric grid, all while improving forestry health and agricultural waste management,” said Sutton Guldner, Head of Business Development and Policy at Arbor Energy. “This firming power is perfect tool to support the energy dominance required for America to execute on its AI ambitions, all while bringing a huge benefits to rural and WUI economies.”
But the initiative is likely to spark debate. Environmental groups remain divided over whether large-scale biomass harvesting truly counts as carbon neutral, raising alarms about forest health and biodiversity. Industry, meanwhile, has long pushed for streamlined contracts to secure biomass supplies from federal lands, something that will likely draw scrutiny from conservationists.
BECCS pulling ahead in Europe
The U.S. effort trails Europe, where BECCS has moved from theory to practice. Sweden’s Stockholm Exergi is developing one of the continent’s first large-scale BECCS plants, and the U.K. has backed trials at the Drax power station. Both projects benefit from strong carbon pricing mechanisms and government subsidies. By contrast, U.S. policy has leaned on tax credits, leaving investors wary about long-term returns.
The question for Washington is whether a commission-heavy approach can deliver the certainty and scale Europe has begun to achieve, or whether BECCS here will remain a promising but politically fraught experiment.
Read more: Drax To Invest Up To $12.5B in U.S. Bio Energy With Carbon Capture Plants
