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Introduction
Quinns are promoting the growing
of Miscanthus in Ireland in conjunction with Bical
in the UK who are Europes largest propagators of
Miscanthus. Bical have nearly 20 years experience
in growing the crop and they are providing Quinns
with advice on agronomy and developing markets. Joe
Hogan of JHM Crops in Adare Co. Limerick is also a
partner and is responsible for the Southern half of
the country.
Background
Quinns are committed to adapting
to the changing scene in farming and to keeping
ahead of trends in the industry. The rise in the
cost of energy along with competition from cheaper
food imports has moved the balance in favour of
producing crops to grow energy rather than just food
alone. The restrictions placed by the Nitrate
Directive will also add to the overall cost of food
production in the EU. Miscanthus requires no energy
input apart from that required for harvesting once
it is established making it one of the most
environmentally friendly yet efficient crops
available.
Outlook
Quinns have spent the last 3
years researching the potential markets for
miscanthus. We have researched the situation in
regard to Government and EU schemes, the agronomy of
the crop and how it will fit in to the Irish farming
situation. Dr. J.J. Leahy of the University of
Limerick Environmental Science Department has
carried out a feasibility study on the crop and is
convinced of its huge potential in Ireland.
Quinns and Joe Hogan of JHM Crops lobbied for an
establishment grant for the crop similar to the
Energy Crops Scheme in England, and in last
Decembers Budget, Minister Cowen announced such a
grant. The details of the Grant are yet to be
announced but it is expected to be of the order of
50% of the cost of establishing Miscanthus. Certain
conditions, such as a defined energy end use
contract being in place for the cane, are likely to
be attached to an Establishment Grant.
Markets
The main end use for Miscanthus
is energy. There are many types of energy uses for
this crop but the principal end uses are:
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In pellet form as a fuel for domestic,
community, institutional or industrial boilers.
Miscanthus can be blended with sawdust or other
forestry by-products to produce pellets.
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In baled or shredded form for combined heat and
power units for i
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In pellet form as a fuel
for domestic, community, institutional or
industrial boilers. Miscanthus can be
blended with sawdust or other forestry
by-products to produce pellets. |
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In baled or shredded form
for combined heat and power units for
industrial or institutional use. |
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In baled or shredded form
to be ground for electric power in power
stations. |
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In briquette form as a
domestic fuel. |
Miscanthus has further end uses
such as:
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Equine, cattle, poultry
or pet bedding. |
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Garden mulch. |
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Bio-composites such as
bio-degradable plant pots. |
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Building insulation. |
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Manufacture of chipboard,
plywood or MDF. |
PRESENT SITUATION
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Quinns are currently in
the process of carrying out a feasibility
study into building a pelleting plant. |
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We are considering a
baling plant for equine bedding. |
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We are in discussions
with a major power end user to incorporate
Miscanthus into its feedstock.
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We have our own
propagation crops of Miscanthus in
Stradbally Co. Laois and Castledermot Co.
Kildare to provide rhizomes for planting
from 2007 onwards. |
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We presently have over 30
farmer growers growing over 400 acres of
cane crops under contract with Quinns.
Quinns have agreed to buy the cane produced
from this area for the first 5 harvests for
a minimum price of €60 per tonne at 20%
moisture. |
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Along with JHM Crops we
have commercial crops of Miscanthus growing
in 16 different counties. |
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We are liaising with
various Government bodies to incorporate the
benefits of Miscanthus into its overall
objectives of increasing the amount of
energy derived from renewable energy and
reducing greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.
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The Carbon Emissions
Trading Regime and the EU Directive on the
Energy Performance of Buildings will all
favour the move to renewable energy.
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Recent oil price rises
and the Russian /Ukraine Gas dispute have
have prompted the EU Agriculture
Commissioner to call for an increase in
biomass production from agriculture. |
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Increased support in the
form of an increase in the Energy Crop
Supplement Scheme was announced in last
Decembers budget. Payments under this scheme
have been increased from €45 to €125 per
hectare per year. |
Origin of the crop
Miscanthus is a C4 perennial
grass that originated in Asia and was introduced to
Europe as a horticultural specimen in the 19th
Century.
In recent years it was
investigated as an energy crop as it fitted the
required criteria of an ideal energy crop due to its
high dry matter, perennial growth and lack of
nutrient input. The miscanthus we are using is a
fast growing clone called Miscanthus x giganteus. It
is sterile and thus has no seed heads and is
propagated by way of underground rhizome. The
rhizome spreads only up to about 1 metre and
therefore when planted, the crop maintains its
original “footprint” – it does not encroach into
neighbouring plots.
Life Cycle
To establish the crop in year
one, the rhizomes are planted in the spring, usually
in April and over the first summer the shoots
emerge. In this first year the crop will grow to
about 5 or 6 foot high. It will typically look
patchy as the shoots emerge unevenly unlike cereals
or maize. It will grow till the temperatures drop in
October and over the winter the leaves will fall to
the ground. This leaf litter is very important as a
means of recycling nutrients and providing mulch
that suppresses weed growth.
In March the following year it is
advised to top the crop with a flailed mower before
the shoots appear above the ground. The crop will
grow rapidly to reach its maximum height in late
September of about 10-12 foot. Again the cool
temperatures trigger senescence and translocation of
nutrients to the ground.
By March the next year the crop
is dry and ready for harvest. Dry matter is high
(usually 17-20% moisture). The crop can be harvested
by way of forage harvester similar to maize or by
mower conditioner followed by baling.
Yields per acre increase yearly
to reach a maximum in year 5 which is maintained for
many years. There are crops in the UK which are over
20 years old and still maintaining yield. We are
confident that yields in Ireland will be high due to
our mild climate and high organic matter soils. A
yield of 20 t/ha should be achievable but a range of
between 15t/ha to a potential 25t/ha could be
achieved on good sites.
Agronomy
Soils
Miscanthus can be grown on a wide
variety of soils but the old adage of the better the
land the better the crop still applies. It prefers
moisture retentive soils rather than light drought
prone soils. It likes heat and therefore exposed
locations at high altitudes are not preferred. Sunny
locations are also preferred to increase light
penetration into the crop. It likes high organic
matter soils but will not grow well on reclaimed bog
with low ph. As the planting machines do not have a
spring loaded planting mechanism, they are not
suited to sites with hidden boulders or surface
bedrock.
Inputs
The ground should be treated with
glyphosate prior to ploughing in autumn.
The rhizomes are planted into a
fine seedbed as for maize. It is desirable to have a
6 inch tilth by way of a power harrow immediately
prior to planting. It is planted in 1 metre wide
rows to achieve about 1 plant per square metre
established. After planting the crop should be ring
rolled and then treated with pre-emergent herbicide
typically atrazine and stomp.
Some herbicide may be required
later in the season or in its second season as the
un-established crop may not be able to compete with
emerging weeds.
A complete agronomic service is
included and a guarantee of the crop is given
provided the recommendations given are adhered to.
The crop is vulnerable to rabbit damage for a number
of weeks after planting so fencing or a grass margin
could be used to minimize damage. Wireworms and
leatherjackets are also a potential threat in crops
following grass. Generally, these threats are only
real in its first year while it is establishing
itself.
Once established, Miscanthus
will provide an annual crop for many years. It does
not require annual cultivation. If a harvest is
missed for whatever reason, the entire crop can be
harvested the following year with only a small
(18-20%) drop in overall yield over the two years.
This loss is offset by the reduced harvesting costs
over the two year period.
EU Schemes
Single Farm Payment/Setaside
Miscanthus can be grown on
setaside or non setaside land to claim the Single
Farm Payment.
On non setaside land it can qualify for a €125 per
ha Energy Crop Supplement if a contract is in place.
A letter of undertaking that it is going for non
food use is required.
REPS
At this point in time, Miscanthus
cannot qualify for payment under REPS 3. This is an
anomaly which we fully expect to have reversed.
We understand that the Department of Agriculture is
working on including Miscanthus in REPS with certain
conditions attached. This should be confirmed and
the conditions outlined prior to this 2007 planting
season.
Organic Payments
As there are no inputs required
after establishment this crop should qualify for any
available organic payments after the second year.
Farmers are advised to check with their own advisors
to have this verified.
Energy Crop Payment
Once Miscanthus is grown for an energy end use with
a contract in place it will qualify for this payment
which has been increased to €125/ha per year.
This is not available for Miscanthus grown
on setaside land. A bond which currently stands
at €60/ha has to be lodged by the purchaser of the
crop in order to claim this supplementary payment
similar to the situation for industrial oilseed
rape.
ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
Apart from replacing fossil fuels
when combusted as a fuel, Miscanthus, has an
extremely high energy ratio (the potential energy
from the crop to energy required to produce the
crop). This arises chiefly because no inputs in the
form of annual cultivation, fertilizer or herbicides
are required. Table 1. gives the energy ratios of
some crops grown for energy.
Table 1.
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Crop |
Energy in Mj/ha |
Energy out Mj/ha |
Ratio |
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Miscanthus |
9,224 |
300,000 |
+ 32.53 |
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Willow |
6,003 |
180,000 |
+ 29.99 |
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Wheat |
21,465 |
189,338 |
+ 8.82 |
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Oil Seed Rape |
19,390 |
72,000 |
+ 3.76 |
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Hemp |
13,298 |
112,500 |
+ 8.46 |
Miscanthus when growing takes in
CO2 (Carbon dioxide ) from the atmosphere and when
the cane is eventually combusted, this CO2 returns
to the atmosphere making it CO2 neutral.
However below the ground its
organs such as roots and rhizomes also play an
important part in the positive energy balance of the
crop. These organs act as a carbon sink to lock up
atmospheric carbon dioxide. After 4 years, a crop of
Miscanthus will have 15-20tonnes of below ground
biomass which amounts to 7.2-9.2 tonnes of carbon
per hectare. This stays and builds in the ground as
there are no annual cultivations to release this
carbon unlike conventional arable crops such as
wheat and barley.
SUMMARY
Miscanthus
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Environmentally friendly
crop |
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Extremely energy
efficient |
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Low requirement for
labour. |
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Low level of inputs once
established. |
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Can be harvested with
existing machinery. |
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No known pests or
diseases. |
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Wide variety of end uses
and potential markets. |
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Benchmarked effectively
to the price of oil. |
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High quality rhizome
propagules available. |
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Backed up by agronomy
service and Bical`s UK experience of the
crop for 20 years. |
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Costly to establish
initially but few costs after establishment. |
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Is suited to a wide
variety of soil types. |
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20 tonnes of miscanthus
has the same heat value as 12 tonnes of
coal. |
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EU and Government Schemes
starting to favour renewable energies. |
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Opportunities to develop
local power processing operations with local
industries, hotels, institutions and retail
outlets. |
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