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Yield and spatial supply of bioenergy poplar and willow short‐rotation coppice in the UK
Author(s) -
Aylott Matthew J.,
Casella E.,
Tubby I.,
Street N. R.,
Smith P.,
Taylor Gail
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
new phytologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.742
H-Index - 244
eISSN - 1469-8137
pISSN - 0028-646X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8137.2008.02396.x
Subject(s) - short rotation coppice , coppicing , willow , short rotation forestry , bioenergy , arable land , agroforestry , environmental science , biomass (ecology) , agronomy , productivity , grassland , woody plant , renewable energy , biology , ecology , agriculture , macroeconomics , economics
Summary• Limited information on likely supply and spatial yield of bioenergy crops exists for the UK. Here, productivities are reported of poplar ( Populus spp.) and willow ( Salix spp.) grown as short‐rotation coppice (SRC), using data from a large 49‐site yield trial network. • A partial least‐squares regression technique was used to upscale actual field trial observations across England and Wales. Spatial productivity was then assessed under different land‐use scenarios. • Mean modelled yields ranged between 4.9 and 10.7 oven‐dry tonnes (odt) ha −1 yr −1 . Yields were generally higher in willow than in poplar, reflecting the susceptibility of older poplar genotypes to rust and their tendency for single stem dominance. Replacing 10% of arable land, 20% of improved grassland and 100% of set‐aside grassland in England and Wales with the three most productive genotypes would yield 13 Modt of biomass annually (supplying 7% of UK electricity production or 48% of UK combined heat and power (CHP) production). • Results show existing SRC genotypes have the immediate potential to be an important component of a mixed portfolio of renewables and that, in future, as new and improved genotypes become available, higher yields could extend this potential further.