A new two-day event has been announced, which will look at the UK biomass industry and how it can play a role in boosting energy security, driving economic growth and supporting agriculture and the environment.
Biomass Connect will host the free event on the 7th and 8th of November at Warwick University’s The Slate.
It will include a series of talks and demonstrations, as well as networking opportunities with industry stakeholders, covering the latest in biomass research.
“Through this two-day event we aim to develop a vision for the role of UK-produced biomass in the drive towards net zero,” says Professor Jeanette Whitaker, Biomass Connect project lead and principal scientist in soil and land use at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.
“The Government’s Biomass Strategy 2023 highlights biomass as a key player in decarbonising various sectors of the economy. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommends that to meet Government net zero targets, 700,000 ha of biomass crops will need to be planted in the UK by 2050, compared to the 10,000 ha currently planted.”
The CCC has also identified the need for training and knowledge exchange across the sector to enable farmers to integrate biomass systems and upscale existing production.
Delegates will hear from experts such as Will MacAlpine at Rothamsted Research and Kerrie Farrar from Aberystwyth University about how genomic selection is improving short rotation willow and new miscanthus varieties.
There will also be practical insights from growers, suppliers, and consultants on incorporating biomass into land management strategies. Workshops will also explore how biomass can work within carbon frameworks.
For more information, and to register for the event, go to www.biomassconnect.org