UK offers grants to biomass industry

Tag : uk cord

UK: The UK government is offering up to GBP 200,00 (US$391,515) togrant each producer group or business supplying biomass toend-users for use in heat and electricity generation in GreatBritain.

The Bio-energy Infrastructure Scheme covers a wide range of biomassincluding willow or poplar, miscanthus, switch grass, reed canarygrass, prairie cord grass, rye grass, forestry wood waste andstraw.

UK's Environment Minister Phil Woolas said the scheme is in linewith the government's move to reduce the country's dependence onfossil fuels and carbon emissions. Woolas said, "The fund willinject cash at the point of production. By investing in thebiomass industry we are helping farmers, foresters and otherproducers to diversify and become part of the environmentalindustry sector which is currently worth more than GBP25 billion(US$49 billion) and growing."

All projects must be based in England and must supply the biomassto end-users in Great Britain. The deadline for applications isAug. 5, 2008 for applications from businesses and Sept. 5, 2008from producer groups.