He believes Forscot, the proposed £1bn pulp and paper mill, renewable energy plant plant and sawmill at Invergordon, has miscalculated the amount of timber it requires.
“Forscot is looking for four million tonnes a year, but only six million tonnes a year are cut and there ain’t an extra four million tonnes,” he told a recent Scottish Parliament business growth debate.
Mr Ewing said that many in the industry believed the project, which has already received £229,000 of Highland and Island Enterprise funding to produce viability reports, was flawed.
“Forscot claims there is 5.8 million m3 of timber currently available for harvesting annually in Scotland and the north-east of England, and this is expected to grow to 9.2 million m3 by 2017-2021.
“However, many argue that the expected supply has been overestimated, that other demand has not been included,” he said.
Urging caution in the “dash for biomass”, Mr Ewing said: “While we want renewable energy from biomass, it should be planned so that timber supplies to sawmills and panelboard mills are not affected.”
Forscot managing director Tharald Frette said Forscot is aware of the needs of existing timber processors in the north of Scotland, and the planned developments by companies such as Balcas and BSW.
“Forscot has not yet made any application for further public funding and will not do so until the project is further advanced,” he added. “However, any grant awarded would not be at the expense of other existing or potential businesses, which are all eligible to apply for grant aid.”
