BEST − Strengthening Bioenergy Regions: New Solutions to the  Controversial Issue of Ecological, Economic and Social Requirements BESTGRAS: Energetic Use of Grassland Biomass in an Agroforestry System  composed of Short-Term Rotation Coppice and Grassland

Limited cropping area and different utilization interests cause currently a controversial debate about local biomass production. The cooperation research project “BEST − Strengthening Bioenergy Regions“coordinated by the Forest Ecosystems Research Center Göttingen focuses on locally adapted strategies and innovative solutions for the biomass production under consideration of ecological and socio-economic impacts. Funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) within the framework “Sustainable Land Management”, ten project partners will analyze the potential of short-term rotation coppice and agroforestry systems as bioenergy supplier in two exemplary regions called “Göttinger land” and “Thüringer lowlands”.

Embedded in a subproject of BEST the Department of Grassland Science and Renewable Plant Resources at the University of Kassel−Witzenhausen investigates the energetic use of grassland biomass in an agroforestry system composed of short-term rotation coppice and grassland.  The project aims to study yields and energetic potential of this agroforestry system, to evaluate the physiological quality of the grassland swards via spectroscopic methods and to compare the efficiency of different conversion techniques for grassland biomass. Ecological and socio-economic impacts are examined in cooperation with other subprojects.

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