Anyone got any experience of growing Miscanthus for baling and burning in coal-fired power stations?

Good idea in theory but keen to hear any practical experiences as have heard about rabbit problems during establishment and lack of support from the introductory firms...

How much an acre does it cost to plant  miscanthus?  How much do the plants or seed cost per acre and how much for other costs? How long does it take to grow to about 6 feet high?

Establishment costs are about £1000/Ha, not easily broken down as the rhizome pieces are planted by specialist machinery, all supplied by the contract provider. Bical is the leading player: www.bical.net . First year weed control and a bit of fertiliser are modest costs compared to the initial establishment. An energy crop establishment grant of £920/Ha is (was ?) available for most of the first year costs, while after that the costs are all in the harvesting and transport.

I looked closely into this about 18 months ago but decided against it as my land does not support high yields of anything and I`m over the limit of the advised 50 mile radius from Drax power station ,making transport costs an issue. A friend 10 miles nearer put 50 acres in  in spring 06, it didn`t establish too well with the extreme heat and drought last summer,there was certainly nothing to harvest last February and some patches have been replanted. So far this year it looks much stronger but not quite like the adverts. It made 6ft last year but only one or two "canes" per sq m. It is supposed to reach 10ft and look like a really thick crop of maize, yielding 10t/ha .We`ll see !

I read somewhere that you have to plough the first years crop back in without a harvest. Is that true?

No ! First year growth is flailed off if there is insufficient to harvest (highly likely). Ploughing would disturb the rhizomes so not a good idea.

 

We have just put about 50 acres down to miscanthus. plants are just starting to get away. having a few problems controling grass weeds as no chemicals are approved at this stage but apparently in the first year you can just flail the plants off and then spray with glyphosate. Think the rhizome cost was about £1000/ha but we got a grant for most of that. we are putting an other 30 acres in again next spring, not sure we should now wheat price looks good!

Hiya,

Hope the planting goes or went well for this. We looked into growing some a while back but were put off by the number of contractors required! There has been quite a bit put in around us, and some looks to be very patchy and uncompetative against the weeds. I was more concerned that a poorly established crop would not meet yield forecasts not only in the early years but through the crops life :(

How is yours doing?

Tim.

Update on the crop I mentioned earlier as I've been in it again today : This is the second growing year and it's between 7and 8 feet tall but is easy to walk about in though much thicker than the first years growth. There are broad leaved weeds present in the gaps but nowhere did I see a problem. If it thickens up again to the same degree next year the weeds wont stand a chance. As far as yield goes, the crop of forage maize growing adjacent to it looks to have more weight . I'm sure there will be a harvestable quantity this winter but would be surprised if it was anywhere near 10t/ha. I'll let you know as I'm sure my friend wouldn't exaggerate !!

Very interesting.

How many years can it be harvested? Has anyone tried to grow another crop after miscanthus? If so, was it a problem weed?

Regards,

TC  

The crop I keep referring to has recently been flailed off , so no yield in the second harvest period either. I am surprised as it looked half decent. Can only assume it wasn't worth getting the contractors in. In last weeks FW magazine one grower harvested about 5t/ha in year 3, still less than half of claimed yield and not really stacking up against revised cereal prices.

One chap near us has just flained his year 1 stuff and finally sprayed off the rubbish with roundup. It looks a sorry state, and apparently they are going to send some Lithuanian workers to patch it up by hand where vermin destroyed the Rizomes. Bad year for getting it in though last year - what with extreme heat then floods. 

our college grows this and all our heating comes from the miscanthus boiler .... makes the surrounding fields look rubbbish though and how college stinks of burning !

 It seems a bit of a waste, that miscanthus could have been burned in a boiler to heat the farm.

 

Brum, how is the miscanthus crop looking this year, have you harvested yet? I am interested because we are considering putting in a lot of this on the basis of the 14 t/ ha yield.

Is anybody growing miscanthus successfully on this board?

Hi

Has anyone experience of trying miscanthus as a game crop on a pheasant shoot?

i dont think the local keeper is too impressed with his miscanthus.

i think it is too thick, and there is no food for birds in it.

he is going to rip it out

I have for sale lots of Pellet Mills and Briquette Machine that will turn Miscanthus into Fuel Pellets for domestic or commercial use including power stations my site is http://www.biogreentech.com you can call me if needed. We also have now a company that works with me and there Pellet Boilers can burn Miscanthus. Regards Andy

Bio Green Tech:

my site is xxxxxxxxxxxxx you can call me if needed.

Hi Bio Green Tech

We don't encourage adverts on FWispace because the forums can quickly get swamped with them.

If you want to discuss renewables here, then please go ahead. We tend to take down direct ads like this one though, or anything with a strongly commercial slant.

Thanks
Rachel (Farmers Weekly)