Are you interested in working in a rapidly changing industry that is reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Working in the crops industry could give you the opportunity to produce energy crops.

‘Energy crops’ are grown for fuel. The government is offering grants to farmers and landowners to grow these.

Biomass

Biomass refers to all the earth’s vegetation and many products that come from it. Biomass is the oldest known source of renewable energy.

Bio-fuels

Bio-fuels (liquid fuels) are transport fuels produced from plant material or organic waste oils and fats. Bio-fuels are fuels produced from sustainable farm-grown resources. Bioethanol is an alcohol based substitute for petrol and produced from sugar beet and wheat. Bioethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% compared with fossil fuels such as petrol. Biodiesel, which is a heavy fuel ignited by compression, is a substitute for diesel and is produced from oil seed rape, vegetable waste oils or rendered animal fats. Bio-fuel technology is being used the world over to provide a substitute to finite oil and gas reserves. Bio-fuels are a solution that is good for the environment, consumers, the rural economy and national security.

There are many ways to enter a career growing energy crops. If you have no formal qualifications but can demonstrate your enthusiasm for working with energy crops, there are opportunities for you.

The following websites have more information on energy crops:

Farming and Countryside Education (FACE) - www.face-online.org.uk

National Farmers Union (NFU) – www.nfu.org.uk