The Centre for Alternative Land Use (CALU), the newest addition to Farming Connect’s network of Development Centres is aiming to improve the awareness and understanding of farmers and other stakeholders on the potential of meeting Welsh energy requirements through biomass cultivation.

ADAS Wales Ltd, will bring over 20 years of practical experience in developing energy crops to the CALU partnership. “Our experience in co-ordinating a network of Miscanthus growers to supply the Ely power plant in East Anglia will be useful for developing similar success stories in Wales,” says Dr Rebecca Heaton of ADAS. “We are very aware of the challenges facing biomass production in Wales.”

In the longer-term opportunities in Wales exists with dedicated biomass power plants, running on a mixture of energy crops such as Miscanthus and forest products. There is also the potential to develop farmers’ co-operatives to supply community halls, schools and other public buildings with fuel to burn in biomass boilers. Grants are available to off-set the initial capital costs of installing boilers.

Miscanthus and short-rotation coppicing for example offers an enhanced landscape and increased biodiversity, with significantly lower inputs of agrochemicals than conventional crops. Farmers can grow certain energy crops on set-aside and still get payment under the new Single Farm Payment scheme.

Dr Heaton recently gave a talk on biomass for a group of interested farmers in Usk on behalf of CALU. The well-attended event was organised through Farming Connect.

“CALU have identified 3 sites for growing demonstration plots of miscanthus, reed canary grass and switchgrass in Wales. The centre will be holding events on these sites during 2005 to raise the awareness and knowledge of farmers and potential end-users,” explained Dr Heaton. “We need to bridge the gap between the growing and the burning if we are to realise the potential of biomass energy.”

To support this work, CALU will be developing on-line resources and publishing a series of technical leaflets to provide relevant information on growing, processing and marketing energy crops.

CALU’s Manager, Geraint Hughes added that “the Centre recognises that a number of organisations is working towards commercialising biomass in Wales. We hope CALU will be able to support their efforts, and help the Welsh rural economy to grasp this opportunity.”