GrassMargins is testing whether a variety of grasses can be grown on marginal land and then used to create biofuel and energy. The type of grass grown would depend on the area. Non-invasive species are used, with care given to insuring wetlands and habitats aren’t disturbed. Yields on marginal lands will of course be less. However, with the right choice of grasses, the growing could be profitable, creating renewable energy on land that crops can’t be grown on.
“It might well be that one type of grass is better on certain marginal lands, and another type on another. It is unlikely one grass will stand head and shoulders above competitors in all environments,” says project scientist John Finnan.