GROWING INTEREST in energy produced from combinable crops or wood could present farmers with real opportunities, growers have been told.

Rising oil prices and interest in renewable energy sources means wood fuel and biomass heating systems for farms, houses, offices and public buildings could become more important, said the Rural Energy Trust’s Richard Harvey.

“There is a real opportunity for the farming industry to become involved as a key producer of energy, which could also put us on the moral high ground by producing an environmentally friendly commodity.”

Such energy sources have already been adopted in countries such as Finland, where 40% of energy comes from wood. Here, heating systems with 90% efficiency mean emissions are lower than oil and gas, he said.

With wheat or barley at £60-70/t, grain can be cheaper than oil as a fuel source, added the Trust’s Andrew Sheridan.

He was keen to highlight the range of wood-based fuels, which includes willow and poplar thinnings, wood processing bi-products (e.g. sawdust) and recycled pallets.

“It is important for farmers to be proactive and get actively involved in finding end-users for biomass.”

With oil at 28-29p/litre, if woodchips were used as an alternative fuel, they would be worth an equivalent of £70-80/t – compared to only £20-25/t if sold for paper or chip board, he noted.

While Mr Sheridan acknowledged that biomass heating systems required a higher initial capital outlay, the running costs are lower than conventional heating systems, he said.