GROWING short rotation coppice for wood fuel is just round the corner for the North-East, according to speakers at a seminar held last week.

Farmers and potential end-users met at Hardwick Hall hotel, Sedgefield, for the Defra-sponsored seminar to find out more about SRC and the incentives available.

Mr Andy Mason, of the Forestry Commission, said he was confident the time was right for farmers in the region to get involved: "People have been talking about this for the last ten years or more and it has always been just round the corner. But I genuinely feel that we've gone round the final corner.

"In the rest of Europe the technology is proven and has been in place for more than 20 years, so we know it works."

Mr Mason said it was a chicken and egg situation, with suppliers unsure there would be end-users and consumers wary of a lack of suppliers.

"The real answer is that the two have to go together," he said, "and now there are mechanisms in place to make it possible."

Mr Mason added that the recently-announced £100m government initiative to develop renewable fuel sources was expected to come on stream within the next six months.

"There will be a proportion for bio-mass fuels, which should provide help for end-users to install wood-burning boilers."

Mrs Sue Finlay, of Defra, outlined the grants available and the criteria for establishing SRC under the government's energy crops scheme.

The one-off grants for establishing willow coppice are £1,600 a hectare on land previously used for livestock and £1,000 on other land. Growers can also claim set-aside payments where applicable.

The grants represent roughly half the cost of establishing a coppice, including ground preparation, the cost of the willows and planting, right up to the first cut back after a year.

The minimum amount of land used must be three hectares.

Growers who organise producer groups or co-operatives can also claim up to £200,000 per group.

Producers are required to have an agreement in place with an end-user before the grants will be paid, but Mrs Finlay stressed this would not have to be a formal contract.

If the end-user is to be a power station, it must be within 20 miles of the producer. Smaller users should be within ten miles.

Mrs Finlay said applications to plant next spring would be accepted until Christmas. Grants should be paid within three months of planting in most cases.

The emphasis was on growers producing for local end users, hence the 20 and ten-mile limits.

Mr Jeff Kirton, of Durham County Council, felt schools in the area would be interested in using wood fuel, provided it was of a high enough quality and the price was right.

"Individual schools have their own budgets for heating, so obviously it comes down to the bottom line," he said. "A few of our schools are already using wood pellets and chippings with great success. If money was available to help pay for replacement boilers or to adapt existing boilers, I'm sure more would be interested."

Mr Colin Grayson, of the Forestry Commission explained the technical side of planting and harvesting SRC.

He advised that, with harvesting recommended in winter, wet areas should be avoided. "Planting and harvesting are fairly straightforward," he said. "It's not rocket science by any means, and existing machinery can easily be adapted."

The promotion of SRC in the North-East has been taken up by Sedgefield firm Renewable Energy From Agriculture, formed earlier this year by the directors of RMD Agriculture, Mr Robin Twizell, Mr Mike Dunwoodie and Mr Dave Swinbank.

REFA aims to act as the link between farmers interested in growing SRC and end-users. It has set up a database of potential growers who will be matched with consumers in their area. The firm will also act as an end-user and supplier.

Mr Twizell said: "We are sure there is a market if people can be given the confidence to get involved. It's time to get on with the job."

For more information contact REFA on 01740 623300 or on the net at refa.org.uk