Short rotation coppice

This woody solid biomass can be used in applications such as district heating, electric power generating stations, alone or in combination with other fuels.

Poplar is generally planted for visual variation rather than being a commercial crop, although some varieties can outperform willow on suitable sites.

[2] Species are selected for their acceptance of varying climate and soil conditions, relative insusceptibility to pests and diseases, ease of propagation and speed of vegetative growth.

To combat pests such as brassy and blue willow beetles, as well as the fungal pathogen Melampsora (a rust), planting a carefully selected mix of varieties is recommended.

[4] SRC can be planted on a wide range of soil types from heavy clay to sand,[5] including land reclaimed from gravel extraction and colliery spoil.

[citation needed] The primary barrier to establishing plantations is the cost as there is no financial reward for four years from a large initial investment.

However, in the UK grants are available to support establishment,[10][11] and in Sweden an extensive scheme of subsidies was developed during 1991–1996, being reduced after that time.

[12] Harvests take place on a two- to five-year cycle, and are carried out in winter after leaf fall when the soil is frozen.

SRC has a low greenhouse gas impact as any carbon dioxide released in power generation will have been sequestered by the plantation over just a few years.

[14] The carbon costs associated with SRC are: the planting, farming and chipping of the SRC plantation, generally done with fossil fuel powered machinery; the crops require herbicides during establishment, fertiliser throughout growth, and occasional pesticide treatment – these chemicals require substantial amounts of energy and potential fossil fuel usage through manufacture.

[17][18] Electricity or heat from SRC provides between three and six times the CO2 reduction per pound that can be obtained from bioethanol from cereal crops.

The root systems of SRC have a lower impact on archaeological remains than forestry but greater than agricultural crops such as wheat.

Some species, such as poplar and willow, have been successfully used for soil[25] and sludge[26] trace element phytoextraction, and for groundwater[27] and sewage wastewater[28] rhizofiltration.