New land use report urges increase of bioenergy crops in the UK

In the United Kingdom, the UK should increase its use of bioenergy crops to deliver carbon savings, according to a new report issued by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC), entitled “Land use: Policies for a net zero UK”, stating that expanding biomass crops by around 23,000 hectares each year would deliver 2MtCO2e emissions savings in the land sector and an extra 11 MtCO2e from the harvested biomass when used for construction or bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), for example.

Terravesta reports that according to one of the scientists cited in the report, John Clifton Brown, project leader for the Miscanthus breeding programme at Aberystwyth University, Miscanthus is a key part of the overall mix of land-based measures. “We’re involved with research and development which looks at different types of technologies to ensure that Miscanthus at field and commercial scale is sustainable and profitable for farmers. Valuable end-uses are evolving, which will build on the existing demand.”

Check out the report here.