{"id":7727,"date":"2020-01-29T09:08:00","date_gmt":"2020-01-29T06:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uabio.org\/?p=7727"},"modified":"2020-05-24T21:16:50","modified_gmt":"2020-05-24T18:16:50","slug":"dosvid-salix-energy-vyroshhuvannya-energokultur-v-ukrayini","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uabio.org\/en\/news\/7727\/","title":{"rendered":"Salix energy experience: energy crops growing in Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the benefits and opportunities of a such business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the gurus of this business is the agricultural energy company Salix Energy<\/a>, a member of UABIO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What kind of company is this? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Salix energy has the largest energy willow plantations in Europe. Since 2010, Salix energy has been growing energy willow to produce wood chips as a source of heat and electricity. The area of energy plantations reaches 1800 hectares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The benefits of energy willow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Willow is an unpretentious crop. For optimal growth, it needs moist soil with high acidity (pH 5-7), a temperature of about 20 \u00b0 C during the growing season and an annual rainfall of 550-1100 mm per year. Such conditions are widespread in Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Considering the Ukrainian climate, willow (Salix viminalis L) is the most productive species for biomass production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Non-productive lands are suitable for growing energy crops, in particular those that are not suitable for growing most agricultural crops.<\/p>UABIO<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The willow growth cycle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Planting \u2013 Three years of growth  \u2013 Harvesting the first crop \u2013 Harvesting every three years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To receive wood chips every year, you need to expand the plantations and plant every third part of the area each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planting rate of seedlings should also be taken into account. At Salix Energy, the optimum amount is 15,000 seedlings per hectare. The planting rate, first of all, depends on the climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which countries also grow willow as an energy crop?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and the United States are the leaders of this industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What can be grown except willow?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Today, about 20 plant species are widely used for biomass production. The most popular are poplar, willow, miscanthus, and eucalyptus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How much does it take to start this business?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

About \u20ac 1000 \/ ha. The first full harvest can pay off this investments in case 30 hectares or more will be landed. If the plantations are smaller than 30 hectares, the project can pay off for 2 commercial cuts \u2013 after 6 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One hectare of plantation can be harvested for about 20 tonnes per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are the benefits to the region where such business is developed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Such business stimulates the development of the region where it is located.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n