Early results positive for short rotation forestry trials

摘要

The UK has a 2020 target for 15 % of its energy use to be generated from renewable sources, including biomass. It has been suggested that short rotation forestry (SRF) has the potential to deliver greater volumes of biomass from the same land area than alternative biomass crops. SRF is the practice of cultivating fast-growing trees that reach their economically optimum size between eight and 20 years old; each plant produces a single stem that is harvested at around 15cm diameter. In the second rotation, some species may coppice to provide multiple stems.Experience of SRF in Britain is limited, creating a need to establish whether it is a viable renewable energy source.