With increasing production costs for existing arable crops and competition from lower cost production countries UK farmers must look at low input crops as part of their cropping plans.

  One of such crops is Short Rotation Coppice Willow (SRC). The production of such biomass energy crops has been discussed for many years. The only problem was that it was all theoretical as there was no end market for the crop so there was no business case to even consider the crop. The lack of demand meant no supply and no supply meant no demand.

  This situation has now changed with a number of large power stations around the country now co-firing biomass with coal or costructing purpose built biomass power stations.

  REFA have contracted with Greenergy ( www.greenergy.com )to supply one such purpose built power station, known as Wilton 10, being built by SembCorp on Teesside. The fuel supply for Wilton 10 will comprise forest timber, wood from timber product production, recycled timber and SRC willow energy crops.

  The demand for SRC will be 55,000 wet tonne per year which represents the production from 3,000 ha of land. The yield is in the region of 10 tonne per ha per year so if you are a landowner within 50 miles of Teesside and want to know if SRC offers you a better business opportunity than intensive cereal production please contact REFA.