The development of sustainable heat and power fuelled by biomass from short rotation coppice in Wale

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The development of sustainable heat and power
fuelled by biomass from short rotation coppice in
Wales. Funded by EU structural funds, WAG, WDA
and Industry.IGER Forest ResearchCardiff
University EGNIMid-Wales Energy AgencyInnogy
Agrobransle/ Renewable Fuels Ltd/ SW Seed
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• Establishment of 5 ha areas of SRC on 8 diverse
  commercial farms taking into account geographical
  spread, farm type and altitude
• Yields and site data recorded

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• Project pays for Cuttings, Planting, Cutback and
  Harvest
• Farmer receives the crop income
• Farmer also receives Woodland Grant and
  Compensation Payment
• Farmer provides cultivations and spraying

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• Calibration of performance against FR small
  assessment plots

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Identify the effects of SRC on the whole farm
enterprise

• Levels of investment and cash-flow
• Labour requirements and seasonality
• Benefits (eg shelter)
• Other uses

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Identify and quantify environmental impacts

• Aim benefits exceed risks
• C neutral
• Monitor impacts on
• landscape
• wildlife and habitats
• nitrate leaching, run-off and soil erosion
• Extension of good practice guides to Welsh uplands

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We are evaluating advanced varieties from Sweden
and the European Willow Partnership

• Planting of willow clones in preliminary trial at
  IGER in April 2003.

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mid-September 2003.
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Preliminary trial planted in 2003 on June 1st
2004, four months after first cutback.
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Three trials have been established at three
altitudes in 2004

• Cae Rhydybyngoch, (32masl),IGER.
• Tynpynfarch (228masl), IGER.
• Talfan 3 (294masl), Trawscoed, IGER

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5. Explore real management, planting and
harvesting methods for Wales

• FR and CU have studied on plot scale.
• Now need to scale up and tailor to individual
  varieties
• Different cutback options

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6-9. Fuel supply infrastructure and suitable
combustion equipment

• Link to fuel conditioning infrastructure (6)
• Desk top, consultations and prudent pilot-scale
  investment (6)
• Chip and pellet specification for new pyrolysis
  and gasification (7)
• Supply chain analyses (8)
• Links with MNL on bioactives and with CARM on
  tannins for adhesives, fibre (9)

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Potential markets

• Small-scale wood heating or combined heat and
  power boilers, lt2 MWth
• Medium-sized dedicated power stations
• Accept the fuel as harvested
• 1 MWe will require 30,000 odt /year or 3570 ha/
  year (assuming 8 odt/ha/yr)
• Existing coal-firing power stations
• Wood has to be ground
• 25 of biomass used will have to be from energy
  crops by 4/2009, rising to 75 in 2011

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Legislation favouring use of energy crops for
power generation

• Electricity from biomass is an eligible renewable
  in a dedicated or co-fired power station
• A Renewable Obligation Certificate (ROC) received
  for every MW generated, potentially a green
  premium
• The legislation requires increasing amount of
  supplies to be sourced from renewables (from 3
  in 2003 to 10 in 2010.

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Technology Transfer(part of 2)

• Synthesis of information on economic inputs and
  outputs, effect on farm enterprise, environmental
  impacts, management and the supply chain
• Education and awareness
• On-farm demonstrations

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Success means real outcomes