Written by Charlotte Cunningham from CPM Magazine
A UK-wide research and demonstration platform for biomass energy crops is being developed by NIAB. Charlotte Cunningham reports. Funded as part of the Government’s Biomass Feedstocks Innovation (BFI) Programme launched earlier this year, NIAB aims to provide growers with independent information and advice on varieties, agronomic practices and equipment suitable for cultivating a range of biomass crops on marginal land. “Biomass energy crops have been grown on a small scale for several decades with the industry yet to reach a critical level,” said Dr Michael Gifford, NIAB’s director of commercialisation. “We expect this government investment to stimulate new growth in this area. The support is part of a new ‘green industrial revolution’, alongside changes in UK food and farming policy and markets, and advances in crop science and production. “The Climate Change Committee stated that in 2020 energy crops in the UK amounted to 10,000ha, which they have recommended would need to rise to 720,000ha by 2050.” Kick-start growth The £4 million BFI Programme, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is part of the wider £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The BFI programme aims to encourage new innovations which, in turn, will kick-start growth…
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A UK-wide research and demonstration platform for biomass energy crops is being developed by NIAB. Charlotte Cunningham reports. Funded as part of the Government’s Biomass Feedstocks Innovation (BFI) Programme launched earlier this year, NIAB aims to provide growers with independent information and advice on varieties, agronomic practices and equipment suitable for cultivating a range of biomass crops on marginal land. “Biomass energy crops have been grown on a small scale for several decades with the industry yet to reach a critical level,” said Dr Michael Gifford, NIAB’s director of commercialisation. “We expect this government investment to stimulate new growth in this area. The support is part of a new ‘green industrial revolution’, alongside changes in UK food and farming policy and markets, and advances in crop science and production. “The Climate Change Committee stated that in 2020 energy crops in the UK amounted to 10,000ha, which they have recommended would need to rise to 720,000ha by 2050.” Kick-start growth The £4 million BFI Programme, funded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is part of the wider £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. The BFI programme aims to encourage new innovations which, in turn, will kick-start growth…
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If you are enjoying what you read then why not considering subscribing here: http://www.cpm-magazine.co.uk/subscribe/