Biomass Open Day at AFBI Hillsborough

A range of Biomass Crops have been established at AFBI Hillsborough as part of Project Biomass-Connect, part of the £32m Department for Energy and Security Net Zero (DESNZ) Biomass Feedstock Innovation fund.

Biomass-Connect consists of 8 sites around the UK in all 4 nations and are demonstrating crops such as willow, miscanthus, hemp, poplar, black locust, alder, eucalyptus and a number of other crops such as reed canary grass, switch grass, sida & silphium.

As well as demonstration, a number of variety trials and assessments are also established. The DESNZ initiative is also aiding in the development of a number of innovations which include advanced propagation, harvesting, planting, genetics and knowledge provisition technologies and services. AFBI is involved in a number of these developments and trials.

An open day was held on 28 September at AFBI Hillsborough which welcomed about 50 visitors to hear about these projects, enter into some lively discussions and then walk round and hear about the selection of new biomass crops.

There are ambitions in the UK Biomass Strategy and advice from the Committee of Climate Change that biomass crops are an essential part of the wider solution to meet Net Zero 2050.

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