Using Willow for Energy

Using Willow for Energy. I’m Greg Martin as Line On Agriculture presents the Harvest Clean Energy Report.

The search for energy independence has led researchers down many avenues and to many different alternatives. Just a few short years ago who would have even considered using things like rape seed as a fuel source? John Kitchen, President of Bionera Resources, talks about an alternative for ag producers wanting to get into the woody biomass side of things.

KITCHEN: We provide willow varieties which are bred for energy crop production and that is the production of woody biomass for various end uses. They’re grown on what is called a coppice system which means they’re cut every two to three years and they regrow from the same root system.

John and his group were at the recent Harvesting Clean Energy Conference.

KITCHEN: We wanted to connect people that are involved in renewable energy in that area to get the word out about what we do. We’re an alternative for land which is perhaps less productive or uneconomic for farmers currently. Willow requires somewhat less inputs than some crops and it might be an alternative for heating applications or other purposes that require a carbon neutral feedstock.

Kitchen says getting business going on a new product has it’s own unique issues.

KITCHEN: It’s challenging. Number one you’ve got to get the word out, you’ve got to gain people’s confidence that this is done elsewhere and is successful. We have to look carefully at the climate and make sure that it’s compatible with climate and soils in that particular area. But more than anything I think it’s connecting with people and making sure they have the information they need to make their own decision.

I have to confess that I had never heard of using willow as a crop other than nursery use.

KITCHEN: Our parent company; we’re a subsidiary of PRT Services and our core business is production of forest seedlings for reforestation purposes. And we have looked at hardwoods for quite a long time. We’re a supplier of hybrid poplars and that sort of thing. Along the way we made some connections with the folks out at State University of New York. They’ve been working in the breeding of willows for energy crop purposes for quite a number of years. And I guess the other side of it is that this creates woody biomass which is a little different from some of the other sources of feedstock.

If you’d like more information on using willow visit their website at www.bionera.com and for additional information on clean energy, visit harvestcleanenergy.org. That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.

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www.harvestcleanenergy.org