Money needed to boost biofuels.

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Author: Davies, RobertRiley, Jonathan

MONEY SHOULD be made available to kick-start the development of a Welsh biofuels industry.

Andrew Davies, vice chairman of Pembroke NFU Cymru branch, who grows oilseed rape, said that there was also considerable potential for growing biomass crops like miscanthus and short-rotation coppiced willow.

But farmers did not have access to the planting and establishment grants available in England through the Energy Crops Scheme.

While England's farmers could claim £920/ha for miscanthus and £1000/ha for willow those in Wales received no help.

Without incentives they were not willing to commit themselves to biomass crops. This made it difficult for production co-operatives to negotiate contracts with end users, or to invest in processing facilities to be able to sell energy and heat.

Mr Davies said farmers in his county had the capability and will to help the government meet its biofuel targets and reduce CO₂ emissions. The same was true of farmers in other parts of Wales, but pump-priming grants were needed.

"NFU Cymru is calling on the Welsh Assembly to make available money for a similar grant scheme to the one in England to be set up in Wales."

He added that the UK and six other member states had failed to meet EU biofuel production targets by a wide margin.

PHOTO (COLOR): Welsh farmers should be given better backing for biomass ventures.

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By Robert Davies, Wales correspondent

Edited by Jonathan Riley, 020 8652 4915