Optimising Miscanthus Establishment through improved mechanisation and data capture to meet Net Zero targets (OMENZ)

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.