Wood chips production in energy willow plantations

1. Wood chips production in energy willow plantations Holland Alma Ltd. H-4375, Piricse, Rózsa Tanya www.hollandalma.hu

2. Woody energy crops • High biomass yield • Rapid growth start (1st – 3rd vegetation) • Can be effectively harvested with machines • Start shooting easily • Have good regeneration potential • Have long life-span • Have favourable firing technological parameters

3. Suitable varietiesAdvantages and disadvantages • Willows (basket, white, violet speciesand varieties) – wet and fresh habitats • Poplars – fresh habitats • Acacia – dry habitats • Other species

4. Technology – field selection • Selection of „wet” habitats • Fields that are not suitable for effective crop production • May come into question on fields of better quality, BUT! • High salinity or high lime content exclude the successful production • High clay content and plasticity hinder the successful production, as well • High soil water level,too much vegetation precipitation • At least 2% humus

5. Technology - Preparation • Typical pre-crops are: • Maize, other cereals, grassland • Aim: to prepare a soil that is 30-40 cm deep ploughed, free of weeds and plant residues until early spring • Until December the soil has to be ready to plant state!

6. Technológia - szaporítóanyag Technology – propagation material Quality!!!

7. Technology - Planting • (Only) (early) spring • Between 10th March and the end of April • Planting distabce 1.5-0.75x0.65 m • 14700 pc/ha • With cuttings in dormant state • Hand and machine solutions • Orientation, compression • Weed control at once (linuron + S-metholachlor)

8. Correct planting depth In case we see more than one cm from the cutting, there’s been made a mistake during the planting Orientation! Depth! Compression! Paraffin! Weed-control!

9. The warm weather brings its effect Parallel to the budding the plant produces additional roots on the whole surface of the cutting, while on the bottom of the cutting callus texture will be produced

10. The aim = to keep the plantation free of weeds until July One week old plant. The effect of herbicide can be seen

11. The aim = to keep the plantation free of weeds until July Two week old plant. The effect of the herbicide can still be seen.

12. The aim = to keep the plantation free of weeds until July In case the herbicides were not effective… … we have to use the cultivator Plantation of Mr. Sándor Nagy - Érpatak

13. The aim = to keep the plantation free of weeds until July Mother planatation of the Holland Alma Ltd. July 2008 Piricse

14. Height growth in the first vegetation The growth of the first year can reach even five metres under favourable conditions!

15. Height growth in the first vegetation after one harvest

16. Height growth in the second vegetation of the plantation 6-8 metres! 1,85 m

17. Thickness conditions in the second year 5 cm In the second year thickness growth can reach 5-6 cm. 75-80% of the two-year biomass is produced then! 6 cm

18. Harvest with a chipper machine Row distance is adjusted to the gauge of the harvesting machines

19. The harvesting machine

20. Harvest At which age shall we harvest? In which month shall we harvest? Limits of the machine How to organize?

21. Wood chips will be dried afield! In the inside of the chips prism there’s a temperature of 60-70°C. The material dries to a water content of 35%, that is already economical to be transported at.There’s no spontaneous combustion! Safeguarding!

22. After harvest Acacia

23. After harvest Poplar (Monviso)

24. After harvest Willow variety Olof

25. After harvest Willow variety Inger

26. After harvest Willow variety Olof

27. After harvest • It is onlypossible to apply effective nutrient-supply and plant protection measurements in the few months afterharvest • Manure, sewage sludge • Bacteriapreparations • Problems of nutrient supply

28. Basic soil cultivation Nutrient supply Cultivation before planting Propagation material Planting Herbicide Weed-control Cultivation Hoeing Harvest TOTAL: 25 000 30 000 7 500 265 000 30.000 30 000 5 500 12 500 30 000 50 000 485 500 (450 000 – 550 000) Costs of the establishment (HUF/ha)

29. Revenues apart from production Plantation establishment grant Field area based grant Revenues of the activity until the first harvest (HUF/ha) • 200 000 • 90 000 (two years) • 600 000 • Revenues arising from production • Yield - 40 t absolute dry matter/2 years • 15 000 HUF/ton TOTAL: 890 000 HUF

30. Result of the activity (HUF/ha) • Revenues until the end of the second year:890 000 • Planting and cultivation costs:485 500 Financial result : 404 500/2 years (With maximized cost and minimized revenue rates)

31. Advantages Is profitable even where field crop production is not any more. Occupies unused territory. Is profitable even without grants within two years. Long-term profitable investment. Environmental advantages Establishes workplaces Means no concurrence to food and fodder production Safe demand on the market Advantages and disadvantages of the activity • Disadvantage • Post-financed

32. 21214 J/kg

33. 18998 J/kg

34. Willows give warm in winter… …and shadow in summer

35. Thank you for your attention!