| Energy
Unlocking the potential of marginal land
Are you interested in the benefits that the low maintenance , highly profitable crop - miscanthus - offers ? …. Read our handy beginners ’ guide to find out whether it ’ s the right diversification option for you …
M iscanthus is a crop that is rapidly growing in popularity with both farmers and landowners . With energy prices continually rising and increased pressures on the UK government to meet carbon reduction targets , there is a need to find plentiful , clean and secure alternatives to fossil fuels . It is here that UK grown biomass sources , such as miscanthus , play a crucial role . Growing miscanthus
Miscanthus is a perennial energy crop that can grow to heights of up to 12 feet and can produce yields of 15 tonnes / ha , with average returns considerably higher than arable crops , at £ 528 / ha , based on an average yield over 15 years .
The crop is grown on over 8,000ha of marginal land in the UK and the area is increasing rapidly . This is due to the rapidly growing demand for heat , as biomass . And because miscanthus is harvested in spring time , it doesn ’ t conflict with peaks in arable crop rotations , but it uses the same harvesting machinery , meaning no extra expense for equipment .
A further benefit to growers is that the crop requires little or no inputs , once established .
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This is because the root stock , known as the rhizome , recycles nutrients back into the soil , so no fertiliser application is required .
As miscanthus only has to be planted once , in the spring , is harvested annually between March and April , and goes on for 20 + years , growers consider it a long term , low maintenance investment that provides an assured income well into the future .
Expanding the miscanthus industry at a rapid rate is miscanthus expert Terravesta , a company at the forefront of miscanthus supply chain expertise and research and development . Terravesta works with growers throughout the UK , facilitating planting , providing free agronomic support , securing lucrative markets and offering long term index price linked contracts . Establishment
According to Alex Robinson from Terravesta , the crop virtually looks after itself once it ’ s established , but it ’ s essential that growers invest time and effort into successful establishment , as this determines the speed to maturity , ground-fill and overall return .
“ Planting takes place in spring time , and weed control is crucial when establishing the crop and it ’ s vital that fields are cleared of perennial weeds before planting .
Miscanthus fact box
• Miscanthus is a low input biomass energy crop , requiring little or no fertiliser inputs , and thrives on poor grade , marginal land
• Miscanthus offers significantly higher than average arable returns with an average price of £ 528 / ha based on 15 years
• The crop is currently grown from rhizome ( root stock ), that ’ s planted once , harvested in the spring and has annual yields as high as 15 tonnes / ha for well-established crops , with a potential 10 to 20 plus year life cycle
“ It ’ s important to remember that miscanthus requires minimal herbicide inputs once established , as the crop suppresses annual weeds such as blackgrass , because the high canopy of the crop out-competes it ,” says Alex .
Alex advises that because a miscanthus crop only needs to be planted once , farmers only have one chance to get it right . “ Miscanthus is a long term commitment with long term returns , so starting off well will deliver the best results ,” he adds . The market
The market for miscanthus is always growing and Terravesta is currently working with a number of different end users including whole bale power stations , horse and poultry bedding manufacturers and biomass boiler manufacturers .
Even though the energy production process requires the miscanthus to be burnt , it ’ s a carbon positive crop , meaning that there is no net increase of CO2 into the atmosphere . This is because miscanthus plants absorb more carbon during crop production than is released when burnt . Additionally some further carbon is sequestered in the soil from the rhizome and , this helps to diminish the volume of greenhouse gas emitted by the land use sector .
March 2017 | Farming Monthly | 41