Eight demonstration hubs are located across the UK, in Ceredigion, South Ayrshire, Buckinghamshire, Devon, Edinburgh, County Down, Tyne & Wear and Yorkshire.
Each demonstrator hub grows up to 11 species of short-rotation trees and perennial grasses. These include Miscanthus and short-rotation coppice willow, which produce large amounts of biomass (plant material) that can be used in power stations to produce heat or electricity or used in bio-based products.
The project compares how well different crops and varieties grow in regions across the UK and demonstrate innovations which have the potential to maximise their economic and environmental benefits.
Agri-Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI)
Bio Global Industries (BGI)
IBERS Aberystwyth
IBERS Aberystwyth
Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Plas Gogerddan, Aberystwyth, UK
NIAB
Newcastle University
Rothamsted Research
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) – Ayrshire
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) – Ayrshire
Scotland's Rural College, University Avenue, Ayr, UK
Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) – Edinburgh
Planting Matrix
Demonstrations of the following biomass crops are present across the Hub Site Network
Black Locust |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Turbo & Turbo Obelisk |
Common Alder |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
Eucalyptus |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
SRF |
Poplar |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
SRF & SRC |
Willow |
SRC & Willow Varieties |
SRC |
SRC & Willow Varieties |
SRC & Willow Varieties |
SRC |
SRC & Willow Varieties |
SRC |
SRC & Willow Varieties |
Miscanthus |
Giganteus & Athena |
Giganteus |
Giganteus & Athena |
Giganteus |
Giganteus |
Giganteus & Athena |
Giganteus |
Giganteus |
Miscanthus Varieties |
✔ |
☓ |
✔ |
✔ |
☓ |
✔ |
☓ |
✔ |
Reed Canary Grass |
To be Planted |
✔ |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
Switch Grass |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
Hemp |
✔ |
☓ |
☓ |
☓ |
☓ |
☓ |
☓ |
☓ |
Sida |
✔ |
✔ |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
✔ |
To be Planted |
✔ |
Silphium |
To be Planted |
✔ |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |
To be Planted |