Carbon farming Government looking for big increase in biomass crops

• Scheme launch at carbon farm show

• Goal is to help reach Net Zero target

• Farmers and environment to benefit

A£4.8m project to increase the area of UK biomass crops will be launched at this month's Low Carbon Agriculture Show.

Biomass Connect aims to showcase best-practice and innovations in biomass feedstock production at sites across the UK. Funded by the the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), it will be launched at the event on Tuesday, 7 February.

“Our project will act as a focal point for the biomass industry, supporting the expansion of sustainable biomass production in the UK, said project leader scientist Jeanette Whitaker, a principal scientist at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH).

“The Climate Change Committee indicates that expansion of biomass feedstock cultivation from 10,000 ha to 730,000 ha by 2050 is required to deliver net zero for the UK. This will require significant changes in agricultural land use over the coming decades.”

“Launching the initiative at the Low Carbon Agriculture show was the obvious choice to raise the profile of our project and discuss the challenges for the biomass sector at an event attended by individuals and organisations focused on decarbonising agriculture.

The project launch will include outline ways to do this, explain why more

Book tickets

To book your free ticket to the Low Carbon Agriculture Show, visit www.lowcarbon agricultureshow.co.uk sustainable biomass is crucial in the quest for Net Zero, and how it can benefit farmers. The goal is to support land managers to plant more sustainable biomass crops.

Energy security cal, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS). He will deliver a presentation explaining ways to burn biomass for electricity generation, while capturing the carbon produced.

A conference session on the second day of the Low Carbon Agriculture event will discuss the role of biomass in UK energy security and Net Zero plans. It will be chaired by Patricia Thornley, director of the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute.

Envirocrops project manager Callum Williams will explain how farmers can select and grow the most appropriate biomass crops for their farm business, with a further presentation by Dr Whitaker looking at best practice and innovation.

Biomass Connect is also represented in the show’s exhibition, with a stand for farmers to visit and understand which biomass crops could be suitable for them. There will also be a dedicated biomass area in the exhibition so farmers can speak directly with industry suppliers.