Skip to content

Renewable Energy

Focus turns to energy crops

by John Dean 09 Jun 2011
Focus turns to energy crops

A major agricultural conference due to take place in the UK next week will focus attention on farmland crops which can be used to generate electricity.

Cereals 2011, organised by Haymarket Exhibitions and taking place at Boothby Graffoe, Lincolnshire, on Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th June, has attracted its largest number of renewable energy and waste management companies yet, more than thirty of them.

One of the biggest areas of interest will be the growth of energy crops for biomass power stations.

Among those taking part is Drax Power Limited, which is sponsoring the Renewables section, and is one of the organisations behind the Green Shoots biomass supply programme. The company has already announced plans to set up a 70-acre Energy SMART Farm to test and develop energy crops.

Rob Wood, biomass buyer for Drax, believes it is important that farmers take advantage of the possibilities, saying: "Until now, our programme for energy crops has concentrated on working with supplier groups. To build the volumes we need, we are now also working directly with individual growers and offering direct contracts for energy crops and straw."

Earlier this year, a report released by the University of Southampton, in southern England, highlighted the importance of energy crops, saying they could be grown without disrupting the food industry.

Led by Professor Gail Taylor, and funded by the UK Energy Research Centre, the report looked at energy crops such as poplar and willow and concluded that England is able to produce enough biomass to generate approximately four per cent of current UK electricity demand.

The UK Government has already committed the country to meeting 15 per cent of all energy and 30 per cent electricity demand via renewable sources by 2020 but at the moment energy crops are responsible for less than 0.1 per cent of UK electricity.

However, their use is expanding and there have also been suggestions that they can grow on industrial 'brownfield' sites. Last month, the European Commission selected a project led by an environmental expert at Teesside University in the UK as one of its Best LIFE Environment Project awards.

Dr Richard Lord, Reader in Environmental Geochemistry and Sustainability at the university, received the award in Brussels at the end of May for the BioReGen Project, which looked at growing energy crops on brownfield sites in the North East of England. The work concluded that reed canary grass not only grows well on such sites but can also be used for biomass power stations.

Richard said: "We are now actively engaged with a number of major industrial landowners who are implementing the results of the research in commercial projects."

Top Image Credit: © LianeM


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping