Energy Now Expo 2015 was as busy as previous events. William Cracroft -Eley and Jim Beeden were speaking at the Energy Crop session on Wednesday 11th about Miscanthus and its use on marginal land.
Throughout the two days we saw a high number of farmers who were curious to learn more about Miscanthus and how it’s being utilised by farmers within their farming mix.
Firstly there were those who were concerned with the low price of wheat and barley as well as the high cost of inputs, particularly on difficult to manage land i.e. wet areas, those with persistent black grass, or a need for high nitrogen and herbicide inputs. In a number of cases we heard how crops were not breaking even and that this is why farmers are looking for another cropping option for these fields. Here Miscanthus is a good fit due to its ability to perform well on most land types with few inputs after its first couple of years.
Secondly we had a number of enquiries from people who wanted to spread their risk and reduce their own physical workload. Here again Miscanthus could work for them in providing a base to their farming income due to our RPIX linked contracts, while allowing them to keep as much, or as little, of their traditional farming mix as they wished.
Thirdly, this year saw an increase in the requests for pellets, as more and more farmers look at putting in commercial biomass heating systems for chicken sheds, glass houses and multiple dwellings. Here again we can help with our Grower Fuel Loop (GFL) where a grower can buy back 50% of his tonnage in pellets on a ten year RPIX linked buyback contract. For more information on the GFL please contact Alex or book on to our Boiler tour on the 19th March at Hackthorn in Lincolnshire where we will have a tour of the Hackthorn Estates biomass boiler system that is run on Miscanthus pellets. For more information on the boiler tour please contact Helen.
