We are working to create genomic resources and to breed for increased photosynthetic efficiency in the African orphan leafy crop Cleome gynandra. This work is a collaboration between Niab, the University of Cambridge (the Department of Plant Sciences and the Crop Science Centre) and the University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.

Duration

2022-2027

Partners

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Growing More With Less | Crop Science Centre

 

Biomass crops are non-food plants cultivated for the purposes of energy production. Sometimes referred to as energy crops, they have a high potential energy content or calorific value. This project compares how well different crops and varieties grow in regions across the UK and demonstrates innovations which have the potential to maximise their economic and environmental benefits.

Project website

The Biomass Innovation and Information Platform is a demonstration and knowledge sharing initiative to showcase best practice and innovations in land-based biomass feedstock production.

The project has four primary aims:

1. Independent information - to provide robust, independent information on biomass feedstock performance, agronomy, economics and environmental benefits to landowners and land managers.
2. Variations and efficacy - to de-risk new crop adoption by ensuring that geographic variations in the efficacy of biomass feedstocks and relevant innovations are fully evaluated and demonstrated to a broad range of stakeholders across the UK.
    
3. Knowledge - to facilitate discussion and learning regarding the biomass sector by enabling the sharing of knowledge, experiences and case studies.
    
4. Robust evidence - to contribute to agricultural, environmental and bioenergy policy development by contributing robust evidence and facilitating interactions between policy, academia and industry.

Through the platform, the project is building a UK-wide, cohesive, regionally based community who will contribute to the development, establishment and operation of the platform. Building this focal point for the industry will support the ambitious scaling up of both the bioenergy industry itself and the scale of planting which is required to align with the Committee on Climate Change’s modelling for net zero, which anticipates expanding from 10,000 ha to 730,000 ha by 2050.

Partners

This project involves researchers and industry partners from UKCEH, Rothamsted Research, Aberystwyth University, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Crops for Energy, Newcastle University, Niab and Bio-Global Industries.

Funders

The Biomass Feedstocks Innovation Programme is a £36 million programme, funded through the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies and processes through the 2020s and 2030s.

More information

For more on Niab's role in the project contact Joe Martlew or visit the Biomass Connect website

Input-efficient crops that can increase carbon capture will help farming and associated industries address climate change, but there must be confidence in achieving profitable and sustainable outcomes.

PROJECT WEBSITE

The Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping (CHCx3) is a four-year, multi-partner project, led by Niab's Dr Lydia Smith. The research aims to help UK farmers and growers target Net Zero and build farming resilience through diversifying their arable and forage cropping. It will enable new revenue sources through a carbon marketplace and support enhanced value chains for industries such as textiles and construction.

Objectives

• Evaluate food, forage, and industrial cropping options with potential to enhance atmospheric carbon capture, and sequestration in the soil and crop-based products
• Optimise production of renewable biomaterials for fibre, textiles, and construction, and build value chains
• Establish a UK Knowledge Hub providing resources to support effective uptake and utilisation of crops with high carbon capture potential
• Quantify carbon removals, consistent with emerging standards for measurement, monitoring, reporting and verification
• Develop carbon insetting/offsetting platforms, achieving revenue generation for farmers and supporting corporate sustainability

The project is focusing on four cropping options: cover crops; annual fibre crops (industrial hemp, flax); perennial food, feed, and forage cropping (including cereals and herbal leys); and perennial biomass crops (miscanthus, willow/poplar). Field trials and demonstrations will examine the effect of cultivation systems and agronomy on economic returns and environmental outcomes, with practical outputs including crop guides, web tools and apps.

Get involved

If you are interested in growing these crops, contact us at chcx3 [at] niab.com (chcx3[at]niab[dot]com), or sign up to receive the CHCx3 e-newsletter.

To discover more, join one of our free CHCx3 events. We will be holding field demonstrations, webinars, and workshops throughout the project. Visit the Niab Event Hub to see what’s on and book your place or contact one of our partners.

Partners

The Centre for High Carbon Capture Cropping partners are: Niab, Biorenewables Development Centre, British Hemp Alliance, Cotswold Seeds, Crops for Energy, Elsoms Seeds, Energy Crops Consultancy, English Fine Cottons, FarmED,  FC Palmer & Sons, National Farmers Union of England & Wales (NFU), Natural Building Systems, Northern Ireland Hemp Association, Rothamsted Research, Scottish Hemp Association, Terravesta, UK Hempcrete, University of York, Unyte Hemp.

Funder

This project is funded by Defra under the Farming Futures R&D Fund: Climate Smart Farming. It forms part of Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, delivered in partnership with Innovate UK.