Energy trials to test timber potential in Scotland

Maximising Scotland’s capacity to generate renewable energy from woodfuel is the focus of a series of energy forestry trials being run by Forestry Commission Scotland.

The 20-year, country-wide trials will provide landowners and managers with the kind of information that will help them to establish successful woodfuel supply businesses.

With biomass boilers becoming more widely adopted as cheaper, greener sources of heat and power, there is a rising demand in Scotland for woodfuel.

Environment Minister, Roseanna Cunningham, said: "Scotland has been gifted with the sorts of natural, renewable energy that – once properly tapped – will help to establish a strong, and sustainable low-carbon economy.

"We all know of the potential for hydro, wind and wave power – but woodfuel also has an important role to play in energy production.

"Current resources are not going to be able to meet the future demand so if the forestry sector – and indeed Scotland - is to make the most of this opportunity, we need to know what crops to grow where, and how best to grow them."

The trials - taking place at five sites across Scotland and involving a range of native and non-native species - will help ensure that the most sustainable techniques are used on the right sites to deliver the best crop yield and the highest economic returns.

A wide range of factors, will be comprehensively assessed throughout the trials. These include:

• Environment –the impact of short rotation cropping on climate, soils, hydrology and biodiversity.

• Silviculture - the effects of tree spacing, growth rate and yield; susceptibility to pests, diseases and climatic damage. Whole-tree samples will be assessed periodically for biomass allocation growth form and calorific value.

• Carbon balance - a comprehensive carbon life-cycle analysis for each trial site at the end of the rotation will be compared with other land use options e.g. agriculture or high forest.

• Economics - To be an effective and worthwhile crop, wood fuel must show an economic benefit. Indirect and direct costs will be collated throughout the rotation, to form the basis for a cost/benefit analysis at rotation end.

Some initial work has already been done on planting costs and further information will become available throughout the course of the trials.