NPS complete major willow harvest

NATURAL Power Supply (NPS), a wood energy firm based at Ballymountain, near Waterford City, announced yesterday that it has completed the first large scale biomass harvest of willow.

Located in Cuffsgrange, Co. Kilkenny, the plantation yielded well above expectations at nearly 40 tonnes of dry wood per hectare.

The crop is to be processed as fuel for use in a heating boiler with some also destined as fuel for an electricity generating power station.

Raymond O’Neill, NPS biomass supply manager, said the proven high yield potential of willow allows farmers to make a good return on the crop with minimal labour input.