The Energy Technologies Institute (ETI) has announced that Forest Research and E.ON will deliver the latest project in its bio energy program – a study into the characterization of feedstock’s.

The project will provide an understanding into the properties of UK-produced second generation biomass, how these vary, and relate this variability to the origins of the samples tested.

It will involve the sampling of several types of biomass from across the UK under various planting, growing, harvesting and storage conditions. The results will be analyzed to understand the scale of variation and what impacts different production and storage methods have on biomass properties.

Forest Research is a research centre dedicated to woodlands and forestry, and an executive agency of the Forestry Commission conducting scientific research and technical development relevant to forestry to support and inform the policies for sustainable forest management. E.ON UK is part of the E.ON group – one of the world’s largest investor-owned power and gas companies generating electricity and retailing power and gas.

Dr Geraint Evans, program manager of bio energy at ETI who is leading the project says: ‘At the ETI we see bio nergy alongside carbon capture and storage as one of the biggest levers in any transition to a low carbon energy system. This project aims to build our knowledge base to increase our understanding of what is the best use of any sustainable feedstock produced in the UK at a system level.’

Steve Croxton, senior technical consultant for bio energy crops at E.ON Technologies, adds: ‘Improving the understanding of sustainably grown domestic biomass could provide up to 10% of UK energy needs by 2050 and is therefore an exciting prospect.’