Industrial Hemp as a Raw Material for Energy Production

ABSTRACT According to the “strategy for the development of a renewable energy sector” the share of renewable energy in the primarily energy balance in Poland should grow to 7.5% by 2010. The main source of renewable energy will be biomass from annual and perennial energy crops. Since January 1, 2007 Poland has been included in a European Union system of subsidies to energy crop production and hemp will be included in the group of energy crops. In Poland, climate and soil conditions are suitable for hemp cultivation. Currently, there are four cultivars of monoecious hemp registered (Beniko, Białobrzeskie, Silesia, and Tygra), yielding 10–15 tons of biomass per hectare. The technologies for hemp cultivation and harvesting are developed. Research conducted at the Institute of Natural Fibres has shown that hemp is a valuable raw material for energy production (its heat of combustion is about 18 MJ/kg). The source of energy is either the whole plant or its shives (75% of yield mass). Trials on producing briquettes from shives, conducted at the INF Experimental Farm at Steszew, were successful and a pilot line for the production of briquettes was installed.