Future of energy in the willows, Sally Williams, Western Mail

Oct 17 2006
WALES has a target for producing 10% of its energy from renewable sources by 2010.
This will come from a combination of renewable energy sources; one of these will be biomass.
This includes the use of waste wood, forest products and also energy crops like short rotation coppice willow.
In 2004 and 2005, the Willow for Wales project oversaw the planting of SRC willow on seven commercial farms across Wales.
These farms are being used to demonstrate the potential of biomass in Wales and to let farmers see how willow crops can fit into livestock farming systems and provide an additional source of farm income.
The project is run by a consortium of partner organisations which represent all aspects of the biomass chain - from growers and processors to energy users.
Two of these demonstration farms are in Denbighshire on upland beef/sheep farms.
One crop planted at Cilgoed, Derwen, is on a heavy soil in a fairly sheltered valley at 1,000ft above sea level, the second is at Cernyfed, Cyffilliog, on an exposed, sloping site at over 1,300ft.
These farms were chosen to investigate how the crop would perform in fairly extreme conditions.
An open day will be run by Chris Duller from the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research at Cyffilliog on October 25.
For details contact Chris Duller on 01970 823157
http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/farming/farming/tm_headline=future-of-energy--in-the-willows-&method=full&objectid=17942436&siteid=50082-name_page.html