Summary

Renewable energies are crucial for meeting the UK Government’s energy and environmental objectives, particularly energy security and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Perennial crops grown for biomass production, such as Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow and the exotic grass, miscanthus, are a renewable energy source which is carbon neutral, because the quantities of carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere on combusting the crop are equal to those absorbed by photosynthesis during crop growth. Future policies are likely to encourage plantings of biomass crops, particularly as they provide new opportunities for farmers. Biomass crops differ from the annual arable crops and grassland they are likely to replace, in the habitat they provide, in their life cycle, growth characteristics and general appearance. It is important to understand the impacts of changing land use to biomass crops in order to optimise the gains and minimise any potential downsides. RELU-Biomass will use an interdisciplinary approach to make a holistic assessment of the main social, economic and environmental impacts of energy crops.

RELU-Biomass will examine the sustainability of SRC willow and miscanthus in comparison with arable crops and grassland by comparing rural economics, social acceptability, landscape character, water use and biodiversity. In addition to using data that have already been collected, we will be carrying out experimental studies concentrating on two areas of the UK as contrasting study regions – the South West and East Midlands. These include: measurements of water use, biodiversity and landscape impacts and conducting farm surveys, social surveys and focus groups.

The results will be used to:

• Develop an integrated scientific framework for Sustainability Appraisal (SA) of conversion of land to energy crops
• Evaluate the implementation of the SA framework
• Update Best Practice Guides for planting short rotation coppice (SRC) willow and miscanthus
• Provide the scientific tools for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) of projects, and for Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) or SAs of plans or programmes, involving increased planting of energy crops