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An ETI Perspective - Increasing UK biomass production through more productive use of land


Citation ETI An ETI Perspective - Increasing UK biomass production through more productive use of land, ETI, 2017. https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000048.
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Author(s) ETI
Project partner(s) ETI
Publisher ETI
DOI https://doi.org/10.5286/UKERC.EDC.000048
Download An-ETI-Perspective-Increasing-UK-biomass-production-through-more-productive-use-of-land-V4.pdf document type
Abstract
  • UK-grown biomass can deliver genuine, system-level, greenhouse gas savings.
  • Planting around 1.4 Mha of second generation (non-food) bioenergy crops, such as Miscanthus, Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow and Short Rotation Forestry (SRF), by the 2050s would make a signifi cant contribution to delivering a cost-effective, low carbon energy system. This is equivalent to ~7.5% of the total agricultural area of the UK.
  • Steadily increasing the area of bioenergy crops in the UK (averaging around 30-35 kha/yr of new planting out to the 2050s) would allow the sector to ‘learn by doing’ and develop best practices, as well as monitor and manage impacts on other markets and the wider environment.
  • Delivering a substantial energy crops sector whilst balancing the demand for land from other sectors will require an increase in land productivity and a reduction in food waste throughout the supply chain.
  • The market for second generation energy crops is nascent.
  • As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, there is an opportunity to restructure farming support in a way which provides long-term clarity and support to farmers and encourages the sustainable growth of the UK biomass sector
Associated Project(s) ETI-BI2012: Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass
Associated Dataset(s)

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Data on the job implications of establishing a bioenergy market - data supporting charts in main report

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Data on the job implications of establishing a bioenergy market - data supporting charts in Appendices to main report

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Field survey results

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Field Survey

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Case Study - SRC Willow at Brackenthwaite Farm

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Case Study - Miscanthus, Friars Farm

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Case Study - Abbey Farm, Miscanthus

Associated Publication(s)

An ETI Perspective - Opportunities for rural job creation in the UK energy crops sector

Increasing UK biomass production through more productive use of land

Making efficient use of bioenergy feedstocks for cleaner, greener energy

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - D1 Field Survey Plan

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - D11 Route map to 1.4M ha of bioenergy crops

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - D12 Job implications of establishing a bioenergy market

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Final Project Report (D10) - Slides for presentation February 2016

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Final Project Report (D9)

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - RELB: Job implications of establishing a bioenergy market

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass - Request for Proposal

Refining Estimates of Land for Biomass- D1 Desk Study Plan (WP2) Version 2.1

Refining estimates of land for Biomass - Route map to 1.4M ha of bioenergy crops