INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeën Crossborder Cooperation Programme Part-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) CaRe-Lands Carbon Reduction Project Utilisation of Conservation Biomass Lynne Osgathorpe RSPB

Workshop outline Summary of the biomass project Discussion Who else is interested in biomass? Common themes? What could a future project look like? Are there additional partners to work with?

Why Conservation Biomass?

UK Biomass Potential Reedbed – c. 7,700ha Upland acid grassland – c. 1,200,000ha Wet grassland – c. 230,900ha Wet woodland – c. 60,000ha Lowland fen – c. 25,800ha Lowland heathland – c. 95,116ha Upland Heathland – c.1,113,000ha

Utilisation of Biomass Composting

Energy products

Why Energy? High value Wider audience Landscape partnerships Reduce carbon use & reliance on fossil fuels Product production off-set costs and possibly lead to future income generation

Economic assessment Conversion process/product Product Production cost Product/ Service value Potential income Anaerobic Digestion 10,240MWh-e 18,944MWh-th £1,450,00– £600,000 £1,475,000 £25,000 – £875,000 Combustion12,117MWh £145,860 – £366,600 £238,425 - £504,900 £92,565 - £138,300 Soil Improvers 44,352 x 50 litre bags £132,612£188,496£55,884 Thatching reed 496 sq m of roof None£1,440 £7,500£5,280-£2,220 £12,300£14,400£2,100 Animal bedding279 tonnes£16,182£11,160-£5,022 Charcoal production and community event 10 cubic metres£13,410£18,343£4,933 Charcoal production only 10 cubic metres£9,457.95£6,250-£3,208

Biomass to Bioenergy The end-to-end process  Harvesting  Storage  Drying  Conversion Briquetting Anaerobic digestion  Life Cycle Analysis

Trials undertaken DECC - Wetland habitats Reedbed – reed, willow Wet grassland – rush, grasses Fen – sedge, grass, rush CaRe-Lands – Dry habitats Heathland – heather, bracken, scrub, gorse, rhododendron Chalk grassland - Mixed scrub DEFRA – PES approach Framework for delivery

Trials undertaken CaRe-Lands – Production of a Conservation Biomass Calculator

Trial Results Biomass characteristics present some challenges and the need for further study Life Cycle Analysis is positive, with high GHG savings Improved end-to-end delivery enhances areas for biodiversity Calculator to aid the culture shift

Trial Results Stakeholders are engaged Land managers Statutory agencies Local businesses The opportunity for working on a landscape scale PES approach: Land manager model Community model

Trial Conclusions Utilisation of biomass viable Biomass characteristics important Life Cycle Analysis Different conversion techniques for different biomass types Working on a landscape scale PES approach for delivery

Vision To convert underutilised biomass into energy products to deliver carbon reduction within landscape areas To develop a landscape scale approach that is transferable in the UK and across Europe

The Challenges Understanding biomass characteristics to inform conversion Culture shift – biomass as an opportunity not a problem Coordination Stakeholder engagement Financial investment

The Rewards GHG reduction & replacement of fossil fuels Biomass utilisation & enhancement of conservation areas Partnership working - Community energy schemes Added value to biodiversity areas Potential income stream