Demonstrator Hubs

Eight demonstration hubs are located across the UK, in Ceredigion, South Ayrshire, Buckinghamshire, Devon, Edinburgh, County Down, Northumberland and Yorkshire.

Each site grows a wide range of short-rotation trees, perennial grasses, and forbs. These are fast-growing crops requiring minimal inputs but producing large amounts of biomass. There are a range of end uses for biomass including combustion for heat and power, construction and packaging, cosmetics and food supplements, and the production of liquid fuels and platform chemicals.

The project compares crop and variety performance across UK regions and demonstrates innovations in breeding, cultivation, and harvesting and processing technologies with the potential to maximise the social, economic, and environmental benefits of biomass.

Hillsborough, NI (AFBI)

Hillsborough

County Down, NI

A glacial depositional landscape with drumlins with an east/south east aspect. The soil is clay loam overlying Silurian shale and greywacke covered with grass and MS sword. A range of biomass crops were planted during spring 2023. Crops planted during 2023 include: SRC willow, Miscanthus giganteus, Miscanthus Athena™, SRC poplar, SRF poplar, SRF Eucalyptus, SRF alder, black locust Turbo, black locust Turbo Obelisk and hemp. Reed canary grass, switchgrass, Silphium, Sida and a Miscanthuis variety trial were planted during 2024

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54.4518165 -6.07485

Hillsborough, NI (AFBI)
A F B I, Large Park, Hillsborough, UK

Chesham, Buckinghamshire (BGI)

Chesham

Buckinghamshire

Flat or sloping fields situated 178 metres (583 feet) above sea level. Clay loam and flint soil. Existing 10-year old grown plantation of many species of willow, poplar and eucalyptus. Crops planted during spring 2023 include SRC willow, SRC and SRF poplar, Miscanthus, black locust, Eucalyptus and perennial grasses. Miscanthus Athena™, reed canary grass, sida, Silphium and switchgrass were all planted in 2024. Updates on the progress and performance of these crops can be found below and in the news section.

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51.709401 -0.612333

Chesham, Buckinghamshire (BGI)
Chesham, UK

Aberystwyth (IBERS)

Penglais

Ceredigion

An exposed, slightly sloping site with sandy loam soil, approximately 2km from the coast with a west-southwest aspect. This was historically grazed grassland. As of October 2024, Biomass Connect trials include SRC willow, Miscanthus x giganteus, Miscanthus Athena™, SRC poplar, SRF poplar, SRF Eucalyptus, SRF alder, black locust Turbo, reed canary grass, switchgrass (upland varieties), Sida and Silphium.

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52.4328915 -4.017391

Aberystwyth (IBERS)
Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, UK

Headley Hall, West Yorkshire (NIAB)

Headley Hall

West Yorkshire

Relatively even, slightly southerly site with loam freely draining to limestone and current vegetation of wheat stubble. Planting of various species for trial and demonstration including Miscanthus; willow; Eucalyptus; poplar; and perennial grasses took place in Spring 2023. Updates on the performance of the biomass crops at this demonstrator hub can be found below.

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53.8661764 -1.322244

Headley Hall, West Yorkshire (NIAB)
NIAB, The Hangar, Headley Hall, Spen Common Lane, Tadcaster, LS24 9NT

Cockle Park Farm (Newcastle University)

Cockle Park Farm

Northumberland

Open exposure, sheltered by a hedged treeline on western boundary and hedges to south and east. North facing aspect, gently sloping south to north and east to west. Soil is Luvic Stagnosols with Miscanthus and SRC willow planted in spring 2023. The plans below show the layout of the trial plots at the Cockle Park Farm demonstrator hub and the updates will keep you informed of their progress and performance throughout the trials.

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55.2144224 -1.6854568

Cockle Park Farm (Newcastle University)
Cockle Park, Morpeth NE61 3EA, UK

North Wyke, Devon (Rothamsted Research)

North Wyke

Devon

Generally undulating, gently sloping site to the northwest, with hallsworth clay or clay loam and historic grassland vegetation used for silage and hay cuts. Planting of SRC willow and poplar, SRF trees, Miscanthus, and other perennial grasses took place during spring 2023. Furhter planting of variety trails and grasses took place in Spring 2024. The plans below show the layout of the trial plots at the North Wyke demonstrator hub and the updates will keep you informed of their progress and performance throughout the trials.

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50.7693748 -3.9019086

North Wyke, Devon (Rothamsted Research)
Rothamsted Research, Okehampton, Devon, UK

Auchincruive Estate, Ayrshire (SRUC)

Auchincruive

Ayrshire

A sheltered flat north-south site, with sandy loam and current vegetation of barley stubble. Planting of a winter wheat cover crop took place in 2022, followed by Miscanthus, willow, poplar and Eucalyptus in spring 2023. The plans below show the layout of the trial plots at the demonstrator hub and the updates will keep you informed of their progress and performance throughout the trials.

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55.4578372 -4.6146849

Auchincruive Estate, Ayrshire (SRUC)
Scotland's Rural College, University Avenue, Ayr, UK

Boghall Farm, Edinburgh (SRUC)

Boghall Farm

Edinburgh

A south easterly facing sloped site of mineral sandy loam, exposed to a westerly wind. Vegetation is historically OSR and S barley. Planting of Miscanthus, willow, poplar and Eucalyptus was undertaken during spring 2023. The plans below show the layout of the trial plots at this demonstrator hub and the updates will keep you informed of their progress and performance throughout the trials.

More about this hub

55.873875 -3.207468

Boghall Farm, Edinburgh (SRUC)
Boghall Farm, Edinburgh, UK

Planting Matrix

Demonstrations of the following biomass crops are present across the Hub Site Network. [Year of planting in brackets]

	Hillsborough, NI (AFBI)	Chesham, Buckinghamshire (BGI)	Aberystwyth, Wales (IBERS)	Headley Hall, West Yorkshire (NIAB)	Cockle Park Farm, Northumberland (Newcastle University)	North Wyke, Devon (Rothamsted Research)	Auchincruive, Ayrshire (SRUC)	Boghall Farm, Edinburgh (SRUC)
Black Locust	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]	Turbo [2023]
Common Alder	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]
Eucalyptus	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]	SRF [2023]
Poplar	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]	SRF [2023], SRC [2023] & Italian Poplar [2024]	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]	SRF [2023], SRC [2023] & Italian Poplar [2024]	SRF [2023] & SRC [2023]
Willow	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]	SRC [2023]
Willow Varieties	✔ [2023]	☓	✔ [2023]	✔ [2023]	☓	✔ [2023]	☓	✔ [2023]
Miscanthus	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2023]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]	Giganteus [2023] & Athena [2024]
Miscanthus Varieties	✔ [2023]	☓	✔ [2023 & 2024]	✔ [2023 & 2024]	☓	✔ [2023 & 2024]	☓	✔ [2023]
Reed Canary Grass	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]
Switchgrass	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]
Sida	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]	✔ [2024]

Hemp is not part of the Biomass Connect trials, but is grown in different trials at the Hillsborough (AFBI) and Aberystwyth (IBERS) sites.

Silphium was planted at all sites in 2024 but removed due to poor establishment.

Black Locust Turbo Obelisk was planted at all sites in 2024 and removed at the end of the year.

Demonstrator Hubs

Hillsborough, NI (AFBI)

Chesham, Buckinghamshire (BGI)

Aberystwyth (IBERS)

Headley Hall, West Yorkshire (NIAB)

Cockle Park Farm (Newcastle University)

North Wyke, Devon (Rothamsted Research)

Auchincruive Estate, Ayrshire (SRUC)

Boghall Farm, Edinburgh (SRUC)

Planting Matrix

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