Purpose grown energy forests for self-sufficiencyFriday 28 Mar 2008 Purpose-grown energy forests if planted today could meet all of New Zealand's future transport fuel and heat energy needs, without threatening the country's important agricultural industry, according to a study completed by Crown Research Institute, Scion.This conclusion is outlined in the Bioenergy Options for New Zealand report completed by Scion as part of the EnergyScape programme. The report is the result of collaboration between Crown Research Institutes Scion and NIWA, and CRL Energy, with input from Landcare Research, Crop and Food Research, Waste Solutions and Process Developments. The study has found that if New Zealand were to plant purpose-grown forests today and introduce a programme of managed harvesting and replanting, the resulting biomass could be used to meet all of New Zealand's projected future needs for transport fuels and heat. The report also states that even the most conservative estimates show New Zealand has at least 830,000 hectares of steep, erodable, low producing grass and shrub lands that could be cost effectively used for forestry. More >> |
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