Bioenergy and Renewable Resources

Fossil oil and gas are becoming scarce and fuel prices are rising. This is the background to the ever-growing interest in energy plants. Plant breeders are working on an improved energy performance of plants. 

The progress achieved varies, depending on the utilizations. Methyl esters of oilseed rape, biodiesel from plant oils or biogas for generating electricity are examples of utilizations on an already technologically advanced level. Other products are about to be launched, in Germany e.g. ethanol production as an admixture to E5 or E85 fuels. Biomass to Liquid (BTL) and Biogas from Biomass to fuel communal power stations or fuel cells are still in development.

Apart from energy, other utilizations of natural plant resources have attracted increasing attention. Oil, fat, starch and cellulose are natural resources with a great potential for industrial use in the production of paint and varnish, plastics, paper and insulating material.

It is an important objective of plant breeders to develop varieties optimised as energy plants or as a renewable resource for the chemical industry. Another interesting perspective for energy plant succession is the current research into crops that had hardly been cultivated in Central Europe up to now, as e.g. millet.