The FORBIO project concluded with the following key results:
In Germany, post-mining location in Welzow-Süd
Post-mining landscapes, like lignite mining site Welzow-Süd, offer good conditions for the cultivation of various energy crops, e.g. Sorghum, Lucerne or black locust. German agro-economical study shows that Sorghum and Lucerne can be integrated into the mandatory reclamation crop rotation systems at a yield expected up to 17 Mg ha-1 dry matter per year
In Ukraine the Ivankiv region the statistical analysis and field trials of Salix viminalis L. growing on the Ukrainian experimental site on sandy and sandy loam soils revealed that the possible biomass yield of an industrial Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) plantation could reach up to an averaged 10 Mg ha-1 dry biomass per year (30 Mg ha-1 at harvest on 3rd year and every 3 years) for high-yielding varieties in the Ivankiv case study region.
In Sardinia the giant reed (Arundo donax L.) trials shows good comparative performances in terms of dry yield between 8 and 26 Mg ha-1 already in the second year. The vast variability in yields is due to the impact that summer irrigation in a semi-arid climate like that of Sulcis may have on the growing cycle of giant reed on this site.