Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme: successful projects

The Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme aims to increase the production of sustainable domestic biomass by funding innovative ideas that address barriers to biomass feedstock production. It supports projects which improve productivity, through breeding, planting, cultivating and harvesting. Phase 2: Demonstration (closed) £32 million of funding was awarded for the project demonstration stage of the Programme, with up to £4 million of funding awarded per lot 1 project and £5 million for the lot 2 multi-site demonstrator platform. The funding went to 12 projects, including ones from 7 small- and medium-sized enterprises, that would deliver commercially viable innovations in biomass production. Phase 1: Project development (closed) £4 million in funding was given to: 22 Lot 1 innovation projects 3 Lot 2 multi-site demonstrator projects to develop strong proposals that would deliver commercially viable innovations in biomass production. Phase 1 of the Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme is now closed. BEIS awarded £4 million of funding for the project development stage of the Programme, with up to £200,000 of funding per project. The funding enabled 25 organisations, including start-ups and small- and medium-sized enterprises, to develop strong project proposals aimed at delivering commercially viable innovations in biomass production. The competition was separated into 2 lots: lot 1 - innovation projects lot 2 - multi-site demonstrator platforms designed to showcase the variety of lot 1 innovation projects in a range of UK locations Further details on the funded projects for each category can be found below, grouped by biomass feedstock type. Lot 1: innovation projects Algae Transforming UK offshore marine algae biomass production Led by SeaGrown Limited. Seaweed is a fast-growing source of biomass and can remove significant quantities of carbon from the atmosphere. It also benefits the marine environment by supplying a variety of ecosystem services - oxygenating seawater, removing excess nutrients and providing a habitat for marine life. This project seeks to apply SeaGrown’s experience in seaweed production to mechanise offshore farming. Within the project, SeaGrown will design a prototype offshore seeding and harvesting system, to determine its viability, optimise deployment speeds, yields and improve operational efficiencies. Read the SeaGrown phase 1 report visit the SeaGrown website for more information MISTY: Microalgae Biomass Sustainability Led by Green Fuels Research Ltd. MISTY intends to increase microalgal biomass productivity in the UK by co-culturing microalgae with bacteria, using wastewaters from breweries and dairy industries. The key innovation lies in growing the microalgal strains in conditions adapted to the UK’s weather by using two bioreactor systems, one taking advantage of natural sunlight during spring/summer period, the second using the organic compounds present in the waste waters as carbon sources in darkness. The MISTY project will help breweries and dairy industries to tackle climate change. Further advantages of the MISTY system include the non-requirement of drinking water or arable land for biomass production. Read the Green Fuels Research phase 1 report . Gold to Green to Gold (3Gs): Whisky by-products to enhance production of microalgal biomass and reduce carbon emissions Led by Phycofoods Ltd. The manufacturing process of whisky produces large amounts of by-products including carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) and anaerobic digestion digestate. A number of approaches to add value to these by-products exist but these produce additional CO2 rather than reducing emissions. The “3 G’s” approach uses CO2 and residual nutrients coupled with green energy to produce sustainable high-value microalgal biomass, which will be used as biostimulant to improve barley production or as feed for aquaculture. Read the Phycofoods Ltd phase 1 report . Integrated microalgae biomass production via carbon dioxide sequestration Led by SEaB Power Ltd. Growing microalgae is a promising strategy for CO2 removal and biomass production. Microalgae perform photosynthesis better than many plants, they do not require large agricultural land, they are tolerant to extreme conditions and have fast proliferation rates. Microalgae have many uses once harveste. For example, they can be used for biofuel production, fodder for livestock, and have many applications in colorants, food and chemicals. This project will evaluate important design criteria, technical feasibility and economic viability of microalgae at sequestering carbon dioxide and biomass production. Read the SEaB Power Ltd phase 1 report . visit the SEaB website for more information MiDas Led by Impact Laboratories Limited, trading as Impact Solutions with support from Strathclyde University. MiDas will create a system for the commercial cultivation of algae which is commonly used within the food processing industry, both human and livestock, as a highly nutritious additive. In addition, the growth of the algae can be used as part of a carbon capture scheme with the non-edible components of it used to create bio-polymers. Currently there is no UK based cultivation of Spirulina due to the climatic conditions required for productive growth and hence the majority of the world’s production is located within south Asia. This project would create a new industry within the UK, onshoring jobs while utilising both existing farmland and allowing the use of Brownfield sites for biomass cultivation. The project is centred around extracting mine water from abandoned mine sites that have been geothermally heated, and utilising this heat to provide the optimal growing conditions for the biomass. Read the Impact Laboratories phase 1 report visit the Impact Solutions website for more information Miscanthus Miscanspeed Led by Aberystwyth University. The aim of this project is to demonstrate the use of genomic selection ( GS ) in accelerating the breeding of high yielding, resilient Miscanthus varieties for the UK. GS has been demonstrated to increase the rate of genetic gain in commercial annual crops (for example, maize, wheat), and Aberystwyth University have previously demonstrated its feasibility in a simplified Miscanthus system. What is now required is to test and implement this innovation in our Miscanthus breeding populations. Key advantages are that GS can shorten the time required (by 2 years) for a key step in the breeding cycle, tackle logistical and cost issues of retaining parent plants to maturity, and enable selection for complex traits. Implementation in Miscanthus breeding should therefore deliver an effective and flexible breeding platform for the future. The current area of Miscanthus production is almost entirely planted with a single clone and scaling up will require a wider range of varieties in order to provide resilience to climate and environmental factors. Read the Aberystwyth University phase 1 report Technological Innovations in Mobile Pelletisation Led by White Horse Energy Ltd. This project’s core aim is to apply mobile pelletiser technology to energy crops in the UK, thereby opening up a significant new source of pellets for the UK market, currently the world’s largest. The project will pursue a set of technical innovations designed to extend mobile pelletising to miscanthus, both at harvest sites and stored in farmyards, as well as to woody energy crops. The work includes a rigorous assessment of the cost and carbon benefits such innovations would bring for UK pellet supply chains as well as implications for market-level supply and demand of pellets sourced from the UK compared with imports. Additionally, White Horse Energy will survey a range of UK farmers and energy crop growers to ensure our proposed innovations are as practically useful to the market as possible. Read the White Horse Energy phase 1 report visit the White Horse Energy website for more information Automated planting, weeding and harvesting of Miscanthus in harsh environments, exploiting complimentary microalgal production for increased revenue options Led by Systems, Power and Energy Research Division, University of Glasgow. There has been growing interest and deployment in Precision Agricultural Systems ( PAS ). PAS is generally deployed on ‘flat’ agricultural lands, utilised for food crops, and requires expensive architectures and infrastructure. It is currently quite difficult to operate and scale, particularly in harsh environments. Miscanthus is a proven energy crop with new genetic varieties available that can grow in harsh regions (for example, wet, cold, marginal lands). The project focuses on delivering solutions to expanding Miscanthus farming to harsh environments using PAS (drones, lang based vehicles, sensors and communication systems). This opens opportunities to scale Miscanthus growth in harsher regions to improve national yields, reduce carbon consumption from farming and identify new business opportunities and additional revenue streams. Read the University of Glasgow phase 1 report . Optimising miscanthus establishment through improved mechanisation and data capture to meet net zero targets ( OMENZ ) Led by Terravesta Farms Limited. The OMENZ project will analyse the whole Miscanthus establishment pipeline, including approaches to field preparation, different machinery and techniques for planting, and the technology used to monitor early-stage growth. Doing so will allow identification of the areas where the project can achieve the most significant gains to efficiency and cost reduction. The project then aims to trial a range of new technologies, which can lead to the development of automation systems that will increase the efficiency of various establishment processes. The project will also utilise drone technology and machine learning to quantify establishment. The project will utilise a platform for integrated data collection from all stages of the establishment pipeline alongside existing harvest and growth data, allowing us to gain insights into long term crop performance. Read the Terravesta Farms phase 1 report visit the Terravesta Farms website for more information Hemp HEMP-30: catalysing a step change in the production and utilisation of industrial hemp as a biorefinery crop in the UK Led by University of York. The key objective of the HEMP-30 project is to accelerate a major expansion of the breeding, growing, harvesting and utilisation of industrial hemp as a UK crop through the 2020s and 2030s. The fast annual growth of industrial hemp allows the crop to remove significant quantities of CO2 per hectare each year. Industrial hemp has excellent environmental qualities as a soil health improver with low input needs, representing an excellent secondary crop for farmers. The university will work during Phase 1 to: fully survey the national and international industrial hemp landscape engage with the UK hemp growers and the other supply chain stakeholders develop a 10-year roadmap describing how a significantly expanded hemp breeding, farming, processing, and production industry will be established in the UK Read the University of York phase 1 report . Short rotation coppice (willow) Accelerating Willow Breeding and Deployment ( AWBD ) Led by Rothamsted Research. This project will develop a plan to accelerate the breeding of willows (Salix spp.) for biomass and generate information to guide deployment of current willow varieties. Unlike most trees, willow has tremendous potential for genetic improvement. Willows are highly diverse, grow rapidly, flower within a year from seed, and are clonally propagated. Rothamsted Research breeders have exploited some of the enormous diversity in willows. With renewed interest in bioenergy in the UK it is timely to re-invigorate that effort using the latest innovations. Genomic selection ( GS ) is a new but well-proven DNA technology to inform and guide breeders on the value of different individuals. GS will improve selection for complex traits in the breeding of willows including yield and improve confidence in the choice of parents and offspring, eliminating the need for several years of preliminary field testing. This will accelerate improved variety production and deployment, whilst lowering breeding costs. Read the Rothamsted Research phase 1 report . Upscaling UK SRC Willow Planting and Harvesting Capacity Led by Rickerby Estates Ltd (trading as Willow Energy). The anticipated increase in demand for short rotation coppice ( SRC ) will require new innovations for multiplying plant material, establishing the crop and harvesting the biomass produced. This project proposes 3 innovations that will improve the perennial energy crops sector by significantly increasing the scale up potential of the SRC supply chain. The 3 innovations are: an autonomous willow rod processing machine controlled by a GPS satellite guidance system an autonomous SRC willow planting machine a purpose-built tracked willow harvester with storage bunker Currently, all SRC willow planting material is produced and processed by hand. Similarly, planting relies on operatives working long hours with 30-year-old technology. The solutions to be investigated in this project could increase efficiency and provide a pathway towards significantly increasing planting potential. Read the Rickerby Estates Ltd phase 1 report . Soilless cultivation for rapid bioenergy feedstock production Led by the Centre for Environment and Sustainability at the University of Surrey. This project will develop a rapid alternative cultivation system for dedicated bioenergy feedstocks. Specifically, it aims to demonstrate how growing crops without the use of soil (aeroponic technology) can be used for rapid feedstock production, and the energy and environmental opportunities and challenges of doing so. Based on previous research, the University of Surrey have found that growth of willow for bioenergy was faster in soilless conditions, with significantly more biomass produced in the same timeframe. This innovative technology has the potential to deliver bioenergy feedstocks over a smaller land footprint than current field-based cultivation. Read the University of Surrey phase 1 report . Proving low ground pressure harvesting equipment in the field to extend SRC willow and poplar wood crops harvesting season Led by ECCL 2020 Limited, trading as Energy Crops Consultancy. The project aims to increase UK biomass feedstock production through innovation of harvesting and planting technology on standard machinery such as harvesters, tractors and trailers. Biomass supply chain companies will be able to licence new intellectual property to scale up access to machinery, which will then be able to work on a wider range of land and soil types, in a wider range of weather conditions, subsequently increasing the harvesting and planting seasons. In addition, these innovations will allow the supply chain to benefit from economies of scale that make servicing the sector a viable option. ECCL will also create a decision tool for landowners to assess opportunities for them to increase SRC willow and poplar crops. Read the ECCL phase 1 report Visit the Energy Crops Consultancy website for more information . Semi-wild crop Marginal land biomass harvesting and extraction using drone assisted technology Led by Hennock International Ltd. Marginal land represents a potentially significant biomass resource. Bracken is generally present on marginal land, and current estimates put the bracken coverage at 1.5 million hectares, increasing by 30,000 hectares annually, and with a large estimated achievable harvest. The project objective is to develop and demonstrate a harvesting system for bracken on marginal land using a single pass harvesting system with GPS location. This data will be obtained by machine vision analysis (from a previous drone fly-past, identifying rocks, tree stumps, gullies etc.) guiding the harvesting operation. The single pass harvesting will include both specialist designed and modified equipment. Read the Hennock International phase 1 report . Teesdale Moorland Biomass Led by Teesdale Environmental Consulting Ltd ( TEC Ltd). The conventional approach to biomass development has been to assume that upland areas in England are unsuitable for any biomass energy crop growth. This has meant that efforts to boost biomass crop production have had to focus on land that may already have other productive uses. However, heather grows readily in upland areas, with about 350,000 hectares of managed heather moor in England alone. These moors, and other upland areas where invasive species such as bracken are considered a nuisance, often adopt rotational top vegetation burning as a land management tool. Each year between 15,000 to 30,000 hectares of moorland are burned in England, with thousands of tonnes of dry matter burned, losing any resultant heat energy. The Teesdale Moorland Biomass Project aims to utilise this existing crop and harvest commercially viable biomass products from naturally generated moorland crops that are currently burned in situ as part of annual land management practices. Read the Teesdale Environmental Consultancy Ltd phase 1 report . Harvesting Agricultural Hedges for Biomass Production Led by J George Limited, trading as Hej Harvester. Agricultural hedges are often treated as a necessary field boundary that require costly maintenance. This project will change both the perception and use of agricultural hedges. It is estimated that there are 500,000 miles of agricultural hedgerows in the UK, which if harvested could make a significant contribution to UK feedstock production. The project will focus on replacing energy intensive existing hedge cutters, which discard randomly sized pieces of hedge cuttings in the field or on roads to rot. The project will also focus on cutting the hedge growth into uniform size pieces of biomass ready for on farm burning or to be sold as a commodity to biomass users. Phase 1 funding will allow the project to move from the design and patent pending stage to producing a very basic prototype cutting head to mount on a tractor. Read the Hej Harvester phase 1 report visit the Hej Harvester website for more information Forestry Integrated whole tree extraction and on site pre-processing of under-yielding forest resources Led by Mostex Global Solutions Ltd. Undermanaged commercial forestry is a significant area that can increase UK biomass supply. Many areas were established historically from the 1960’s through to the 1980’s when tax and establishment schemes drove large scale plantings. In hindsight many areas planted were not optimal. This has resulted in many hectares failing to deliver their expected growth potential. When combined with often remote locations these forests are uneconomic to harvest given current methods and markets. This project will focus on whole tree harvesting, which will allow for ground remediation or replanting. It will also focus on pre-processing in-forest to produce a clean feedstock for fuel or other purposes. When the whole tree is harvested, including needles and bark, impurities such as chlorine and potassium will create corrosion and lead to a low ash melting point building clinker. Further processing is therefore essential to allow combustion in standard boilers. Read the Mostex phase 1 report visit the Mostex website for more information Development of a biodegradable, bio-based tree shelter that improves planting efficiency Led by NMC2 Limited with support from the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies at the University of Bath. On average 40% of trees planted in newly established woodlands across the UK are damaged or destroyed by wildlife. NMC2 will create a bio-based, biodegradable tree shelter, which will prevent new woodlands, for biomass cultivation, being destroyed by wildlife, in particular deer and squirrel. NMC2 will use natural and waste materials sourced from the UK to create a non-toxic tree guard that is bitter-tasting to wildlife. As the tree shelter biodegrades, it will enrich the soil and feed the woodland. Read the NMC2 phase 1 report . Using geospatial data science to identify optimal planting sites for forestry-based biomass production Led by Forest Creation Partners ( FCP ) with support from Forest Research ( FR ) FCP ’s ForestFounder system combines a wide range of geospatial data to identify optimal sites for productive forestry. Because ForestFounder can scan almost unlimited areas algorithmically, it provides a unique capability to unlock investment in biomass production, by helping landowners decide where and what to plant within their estates and advising investors on optimal sites to acquire or lease for planting. This project will expand ForestFounder’s geographical coverage from England to Great Britain and broaden its species coverage (currently limited to Long Rotation Forestry) to include SRC and short rotation forestry ( SRF ). It will also improve its ability to account for future climate change in its species recommendations. This could greatly enhance the potential for GB biomass production by increasing the number, and variety, and productivity of sites available. As part of this project, Forest Research will update its open species suitability datasets to use the UK Climate Projections 2018, and will publish the first ever datasets on the climatic suitability of SRC and SRF species across Great Britain. Read the Forest Creation Partners phase 1 report Visit the FCP website for more information Energy crops Enhanced vegetative propagation combined with new variety introductions to expand energy crop production Led by New Energy Farms ( NEF ). Perennial energy grass ( PEG ) crops are an important source of biomass but expansion of the cropping area has been curtailed by a lack of new, improved varieties and the difficulties of multiplying and planting PEG crops, which are usually vegetatively propagated. There are a number of successful PEG breeding programmes around the world and this project will focus on accessing different species and varieties from these programmes to evaluate them in the UK and provide industry and growers with a wider choice of cropping and biomass options. Using a range of new PEG varieties has the potential to increase biomass yields, reduce costs and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Read the NEF phase 1 report visit the NEF website for more information Perennial Energy Crops Decision Support System ( PEC-DSS ) Led by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute. The Perennial Energy Crops Decision Support System ( PEC-DSS ) is envisaged as a central source of impartial information in an easy to access, free or low cost, user friendly format, that will enable farmers and land managers to make an informed decision about planting perennial energy crops ( PEC ). The PEC-DSS will assemble a wide range of knowledge and expertise that will provide answers to questions such as: what type(s) of PEC will grow on my land? what profit will it make? what are the environmental benefits and impacts? The PEC-DSS may take the form of an interactive website portal or a downloadable app available on a smart device. This advice will help UK farmers make sound business decisions and de-risk their investment, giving them the confidence they need to participate in the rapid upscaling of sustainable domestic bioenergy feedstock production. Read the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute phase 1 report Lot 2: multi-site demonstrator BIOFIND: the Biomass Feedstock Innovation Demonstration Platform Led by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. The BioFIND Phase 1 project will design and plan a UK-wide, multi-site demonstration platform for biomass feedstock production. It will support the development and trialling of innovations that address current barriers to large-scale domestic biomass supply in the UK. The creation of the BioFIND platform will build a regionally based community who will contribute to the development, establishment and operation of the platform. Building this focal point for the industry will support the ambitious scaling up of both the bioenergy industry itself and the scale of planting. Read the BioFIND phase 1 project . NIAB multi-site energy crop demonstrator Led by NIAB. The NIAB project would run trials and a demonstration programme that will allow innovations relating to second generation energy crops to be assessed and compared both among themselves and to current industry standard approaches. The NIAB trials and demonstration programme will be run at multiple sites across the UK. The project will focus on selecting sites that provide an appropriate range of climatic conditions and soil types to assess a range of innovations. In addition, Phase 1 will develop protocols for the assessment to be thorough and to deliver data that informs the decision making of growers and their advisors when looking at energy crops as an option for their land. These assessments will be based on whole life economic and environmental impacts of the crops, equipment and growing systems. Read the NIAB phase 1 report visit the NIAB website for more information PromoBio Led by Reheat (Renewable Technologies) Limited. The overarching objective of PromoBio is to ensure that biomass feedstocks projects within the UK have access to the tools and resources - both practical and human - that they need in order to make rapid progress towards meeting their own aims. To do this, PromoBio will provide a geographical development laboratory, which stretches the length and breadth of the UK and will provide a core team of recognised biomass industry experts, supplemented by access to a wider pool of market, scientific and practical biomass expertise from leading industry and academic partners from the UK and overseas. Read the ReHeat Ltd phase 1 report . £32 million of funding was awarded for the project demonstration stage of the Programme, with up to £4 million of funding awarded per lot 1 project and £5 million for the lot 2 multi-site demonstrator platform. The funding enabled 12 organisations, including 7 small- and medium-sized enterprises, to deliver commercially viable innovations in biomass production. The competition was separated into 2 lots: lot 1 - innovation projects lot 2 - multi-site demonstrator platform designed to showcase the variety of lot 1 innovation projects in a range of UK locations Further details on the funded projects for each category are grouped by biomass feedstock type. Lot 1 Conventional (long-rotation) and short rotation forestry Project BIOFORCE (BIOmass FORestry CrEation): Creating geospatial data systems to upscale national forestry-based biomass production Led by Verna Earth Solutions Ltd (formerly Forest Creation Partners Limited). Project BIOFORCE will create and demonstrate new, upgraded versions of Forest Research’s industry-standard Ecological Site Classification (ESC) tool, and Verna’s successful ForestFounder system. The new geospatial tools, ESC5 and ForestFounder2, will enable landowners, investors, and policymakers to assess sites throughout GB for forestry suitability, taking into account biophysical conditions, economic factors, local impacts, and regulations. The tools will cover Long Rotation and Short Rotation Forestry (including with fast-growing species such as eucalyptus and paulownia), Short Rotation Coppice, and agroforestry They will use improved climate modelling, to better assess species’ suitability under future climate change. Creating and deploying ESC5 and ForestFounder2 is projected to increase UK annual biomass harvest by identifying suitable sites which would not otherwise be planted, and enabling higher-yielding, more climate-change-resilient choices of species and (agro)forestry systems. The project involves pre-commercial demonstration partnerships with a number of public and private sector organisations, including the National Trust, HS2, the Ministry of Justice, the Country Land and Business Association, and the Farr Estate, which will involve assessment of over 100,000 hectares. This project involves expanding the national evidence base in important ways, for example Forest Research gathering field data on growth/yield of target species, Cranfield University extending yield and economic models of agroforestry, and Verna Earth Solutions producing social/market research on attitudes towards agroforestry options. Final report: Project BIOFORCE (BIOmass FORestry CrEation): Creating geospatial data systems to upscale national forestry-based biomass production Macroalgae Transforming UK offshore marine algae biomass production Led by SeaGrown Limited. Seaweed is among the fastest growing sources of biomass on Earth. It benefits the marine environment by supplying a variety of ecosystem services - oxygenating seawater, removing excess nutrients and providing a habitat for marine life. Seaweed stores 2-3 times more carbon from the atmosphere than woodland, providing potential for it to contribute towards the UK’s net zero targets. However, the current state of the art in seaweed farming limits biomass production because it is expensive, time consuming, labour-intensive and failure-prone, especially in offshore waters. Scarborough-based SeaGrown operates a 25-hectare offshore seaweed farm in the North Sea off the Yorkshire Coast. This project seeks to apply SeaGrown’s experience in pioneering this new sector to create an innovative, automated end-to-end seaweed farming system. This innovative system will open up the seaweed industry to year-round production, open-water sites and greater assurance of optimal biomass yields. The project aims to enable a transformational change from cottage industry to a major source of sustainable bulk biomass from the ocean, positioning the UK to lead the way in European seaweed farming and develop a national Blue Carbon capability. The team is ideally placed to deliver this project. SeaGrown already works successfully in the offshore environment, operates its own seaweed farming vessels with experienced crew, seaweed hatchery and licensed offshore area. The team also includes experts in hydraulic engineering, marine offshore engineering, seaweed hatcheries, and management and commercialisation of complex marine projects. Final report: Transforming UK offshore marine algae biomass production Other (such as assistive technologies) EnviroCrops - Perennial Energy Crops Decision Support System (PEC-DSS) Led by Agri Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). More about EnviroCrops The EnviroCrops web app is envisaged as a central source of impartial information in an easy to access, free or low-cost, user-friendly format, that will enable farmers, land managers and consultants to make an informed decision about planting biomass crops. Users will be able to provide simple information such as their postcode and find out: what biomass crops are suitable for their land what yields are possible the best varieties or species the production timescales and costs the locality of contractors and markets, and the economic potential. End users, be they a self-supplier, a local authority or a power station will be able to work out how much land is required to meet all or a proportion of their needs the production timescales, and the delivered costs. Therefore, EnviroCrops will be able to provide users with a free or very affordable mini feasibility study so they can work out if a particular biomass crop such as willow, miscanthus, poplar or eucalyptus is right for their land their system their facilities their pocket The Envirocrops tool intends to work with growers and contractors so that they can constantly update yield models with new information and keep the app outputs relevant to a changing climate. The project aims for the EnviroCrops tool to act as a trusted, independent price comparison website and an online marketplace – essentially a biomass focussed equivalent to Compare the Market and Gumtree! Final report: EnviroCrops - Perennial Energy Crops Decision Support System (PEC-DSS) Perennial energy grasses Miscanspeed - accelerating Miscanthus breeding using genomic selection Led by Aberystwyth University. More about Miscanthus breeding The aim of this project is to demonstrate the application of genomic selection (GS) in accelerating the breeding of high yielding, resilient Miscanthus varieties for the UK. Miscanthus is a leading perennial biomass crop for the UK and beyond. The current commercial clone Miscanthus x giganteus (Mxg) produces high annual biomass yields but has certain limitations. Breeding is underway to diversify the crop for resilient high yields across a range of environments, but this is limited by the 3 years that it takes to reach maturity. GS, which uses the information stored in the plant genome, has been demonstrated to increase the rate of genetic gain in commercial annual crops (e.g. maize, wheat), and we have previously demonstrated its feasibility in our Miscanthus research populations. What is now required is to implement and assess this innovation in our Miscanthus breeding programme. To do this the project will: collect genomic marker and phenotype data from two Miscanthus populations in our breeding programme. train and test/calibrate GS models to predict traits of interest. perform annual seed to seed cycles within each population The key advantages of GS are that it can shorten by 2 years the time required for a key step in the breeding cycle, tackle logistical and cost issues of retaining parent plants to maturity, and enable selection for complex traits. Implementation of GS in Miscanthus breeding should therefore deliver an effective and flexible breeding platform for the future that enables the production of new varieties of Miscanthus suitable for current and future UK climates and land types. Final report: Miscanspeed - accelerating Miscanthus breeding using genomic selection Technologies to enhance the multiplication and propagation of energy crops (TEMPEC) Led by New Energy Farms EU Limited. The first project objective is to increase the number of energy grass varieties that are available and increase yield. The majority of the UK energy grass crops are planted from one variety. The project will test varieties from existing global breeding projects in the UK. This reduces the time to 3 years to bring new variety options to market in the UK. Over 40 new candidate energy crop varieties will be evaluated, with the aim to increase yield and provide between 5 to 10 new variety options for UK growers. The second is in agronomic improvements, these can begin as early as when crops are planted. Many high biomass energy crops are vegetatively propagated, they do not produce seeds. New Energy Farms (NEF) have developed patented technology and these will be evaluated on the new energy crops to identify cheaper and easier ways of multiplying and planting energy crops. The combination of new, higher yielding varieties and improved methods of establishing new plantings of energy crops will encourage more energy crop planting. Higher yielding varieties, presented as easy to plant propagules, will increase biomass production. Finally land which is border line for the economic production of food crops is the ideal land for energy crops. This project goes beyond the target of low-quality arable land and explores phytoremediation, producing biomass on metal contaminated land (spoil land) and degraded wetlands, a source of large GHG emissions. Final report: Technologies to enhance the multiplication and propagation of energy crops (TEMPEC) Optimising Miscanthus Establishment through improved mechanisation and data capture to meet Net Zero targets (OMENZ) Led by Terravesta Farms Ltd. More about Terravesta Farms Ltd. During Phase1, the OMENZ project examined the Miscanthus establishment process as a whole and identified several barriers to upscaling Miscanthus establishment. The project’s findings suggest improvements in critical areas such as germplasm production and pre-treatment, automated crop surveys, as well as improved land preparation could significantly impact the efficiency and quality of Miscanthus establishment. Phase2 will solve these issues in greater detail using various technologies, including automation, machine learning and biological treatments, to deliver a vastly improved Miscanthus establishment method. Upon completion, the project will deploy these innovations to the commercial sector to provide an efficient Miscanthus establishment procedure capable of scaling to meet the demand of the growing biomass sector. The project will utilise the Terravesta Harvest Hub platform to integrate data collected from all stages of our establishment pipeline alongside their existing harvest and growth data. Through data integration with the current supply chain, the OMENZ team will gain insights into long term crop performance and improve the entire Miscanthus biomass supply chain, benefiting both growers and end-users. An increasing land area is needed to deliver a sustainable biomass supply within the UK. OMENZ will also recruit new growers to the Miscanthus biomass supply chain and help support the industry by raising awareness of Miscanthus of its many values across the sector. The OMENZ projects will provide the tools to meet the rapid scale-up of Miscanthus planting to achieve a sustainable biomass supply, while also contributing to the UK’s net-zero ambitions. Final report: Optimising Miscanthus Establishment through improved mechanisation and data capture to meet Net Zero targets (OMENZ) Demonstration of on-­farm pelletisation technology: Developing and constructing a robust mobile pelletiser enabling farms to process a range of feedstocks, enabling domestic biomass pellets to displace imported pellets in the UK energy supply mix Led by White Horse Energy Ltd. More about White Horse Energy White Horse Energy Ltd, working with a leading engineering company based in Germany, will develop a transportable mobile pelletisation technology able to operate behind the farm gate in processing a range of energy crops and innovative agricultural residues year-round. White Horse Energy’s intention is for this innovation to unlock a significant new supply of domestically sourced, sustainably produced pellets for the UK energy market as it seeks to fully decarbonise. The project will work closely with both farmers and end users of pellets across the UK to bolster the UK’s position as a global pioneer in green agriculture and low-carbon technologies. As well as the core technological innovation workstreams, the project will involve a field-testing programme to assess the innovation in operational use on farm sites. This, in turn, will inform a rigorous supply chain assessment of the cost savings and carbon benefits of the innovation for UK biomass supplies and the wider energy market. Further, White Horse Energy will undertake a comprehensive consultation of UK farmers to understand the opportunities and challenges of implementing the innovation on a commercial basis across the UK agricultural sector. Demonstration of on-­farm pelletisation technology: final report Semi-wild crops Teesdale Moorland Biomass Project Led by Teesdale Environmental Consulting Ltd (TEC Ltd). There is about 350,000 ha of managed heather moor in England alone. These moors, and other upland areas where invasive species such as bracken are considered a nuisance, often adopt rotational top vegetation burning as a land management tool. Each year between 15,000 – 30,000 ha of heather are burned in England, with thousands of tonnes of dry matter burned, losing any resultant heat energy. If left to grow unchecked, heather can grow too tall for ground nesting birds, and can dry out peaty soils, increasing CO2 emissions, instead of helping peat moors act as vital carbon sinks. Excessive vegetation in upland areas is also prone to drying out in drought conditions, with the risk of catastrophic wild fires. Harvesting heather can therefore be seen as a net environmental benefit. The Teesdale Moorland Biomass Project aims to utilise this existing crop and harvest commercially viable biomass products from naturally generated moorland crops that are currently burned in situ as part of annual land management practices. This can be done by replicating current land management practices, ensuring high conservation value is maintained. The characteristics of heather lend themselves to biomass production. Unlike wood and willow crops, heather has a low moisture content, making the production of biomass material more efficient and cost effective. As landowners face increasing pressure to end the traditional reliance on heather burning as a standard management tool, the Teesdale Moorland Biomass Project offers a viable alternative approach that also helps meet the UK’s climate change targets. Final report: Teesdale Moorland Biomass Project Short rotation coppice (willow, poplar) Taeda Tech Project – Soilless cultivation for rapid biomass feedstock production Led by University of Surrey. More about Taeda Tech Project The project uses novel aeroponic technology to rapidly cultivate Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow cuttings which can be planted into the field for bioenergy. Aeroponics is a way of cultivating crops by supplying the roots directly with water and nutrients without the use of any soil. The project will optimise the system so as much willow as possible can be grown, with minimal environmental harm and at least cost. The project will begin research into other crops of interest, and beyond Phase 2 look to de-risk and optimise production for a wider suite of biomass / forestry crops for sustainable biomass supply and afforestation (in line with government priorities). There is also a significant application of this technology for further research and development of crop breeding. The aim of Phase 2 is to demonstrate our aeroponics technology as a commercially competitive means of rapid and superior cultivation of SRC willow. The objectives are to demonstrate rapid, superior growth of SRC willow with our aeroponics system optimise our system for maximised growth rate, minimised resource usage, with least environmental impact and at lowest cost demonstrate a viable route to market, and establish an appropriate commercial vehicle identify application potential of our technology to other crops explore the potential of our innovation for advancing breeding programs quantify the environmental and socio-economic benefits of our innovation This project is being delivered in collaboration with both academic and industrial partners including UKUAT, LettUs Grow, Rothamsted Research, Aberystwyth University, Forest Research, NIAB, NMC2, Glideology and CapitalAgri. Final report: Taeda Tech Project – Soilless cultivation for rapid biomass feedstock production Net Zero Willow Led by Rickerby Estates Ltd. Based on ten years’ experience of working in the SRC willow biomass industry, the project team has been able to identify the shortcomings of the mechanical equipment currently used. These limitations are reducing efficiencies, increasing cost and stifling the scaling up of UK biomass production. Rather than looking at just one part of the SRC willow production chain, the team has analysed and developed innovations that are aimed at revolutionising the industry and maximising marginal gains. The machinery will have the following benefits: light weight with lower footprint increased automation helping to address labour storages increased efficiency and longer working windows produce increased quality products have lower costs at every stage reduce greenhouse gas emissions at every stage. This will result in a significant dual benefit for farmers based on lower costs and greater income potential. This together with the availability of reliable machinery will encourage more farmers to plant SRC willow creating a snowball effect. The innovations have been developed from the ground up to travel and operate on UK marginal land in the harshest of conditions. They are not conceptual designs but have been designed to work and with mass production in mind. The innovations use components that have been tried and tested in other applications and are readily available. The specialist parts have been designed to be tough but also cheap and easy to replace when requested. Final report: Net Zero Willow Accelerating Willow Breeding and Deployment Led by Rothamsted Research. More about the Accelerating Willow Breeding and Deployment Project The Accelerating Willow Breeding and Deployment (AWBD) project will accelerate the breeding of SRC willow and generate information to guide the intelligent deployment of current varieties. Building on specialist willow expertise at Rothamsted Research, both activities will ensure that SRC willow is optimised for deployment in the UK at the scale required. Genomic Selection (GS) will improve selection for complex traits including yield. It will also improve confidence in selection, allowing us to bring new, improved varieties to the market faster. This will greatly accelerate improved variety production and deployment, whilst lowering breeding costs for each new variety introduced. AWBD will involve planting, growing and measuring a large number of willow genotypes at 5 diverse environments within the UK and quantifying performance for integration with genomic data. The environments include cool and warm temperatures, a droughted site, one subject to winter flooding and one where disease pressure is particularly high. This will provide the data to calculate GEBVs which will be applied to our breeding programme. Simultaneously, we will generate performance data of value to the industry on matching variety to environment. This will be disseminated via multiple routes. A consequence of accelerating selection through the breeding process is that less planting material is available in the early phase of variety introduction. Micropropagation techniques will be investigated to overcome this bottleneck to ensure that willow can be upscaled at speed. Final report: Accelerating Willow Breeding and Deployment Lot 2 Multi-site demonstrator platform Biomass Connect: Biomass Innovation and Information Led by UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology. More about the Biomass Connect Platform The Biomass Connect Phase 2 project will create a demonstration and knowledge sharing platform to showcase best practice and innovations in land-based biomass feedstock production. The Biomass Connect platform has 4 aims: to provide robust, independent information on biomass feedstock performance, agronomy, economics and environmental benefits to land-owners and land managers to de-risk new crop adoption by ensuring that geographic variations in the efficacy of biomass feedstocks and relevant innovations are fully evaluated and demonstrated to a broad range of stakeholders across the UK to facilitate discussion and learning regarding the biomass sector by enabling the sharing of knowledge, experiences and case studies to contribute to agricultural, environmental and bioenergy policy development by contributing robust evidence and facilitating interactions between policy, academia and industry Through the creation of the Biomass Connect platform, the project will build a UK-wide, cohesive, regionally-based community who will contribute to the development, establishment and operation of the platform. Building this focal point for the industry will support the ambitious scaling up of both the bioenergy industry itself and the scale of planting which is required to align with the Committee on Climate Change’s modelling for net zero, which anticipates expanding from 10,000 ha to 730,000 ha by 2050.