Area, trends and research
A few hundred hectares of poplar plantation exist in Sweden today.
About 16 000 ha of willow plantations exist on agriculture land, but only one-fourth are professionally managed. There is new interest in Sweden to grow poplars and willows. The main reasons are to reduce imports of 2-4 million m³ per year of short-fiber wood and to use surplus agriculture land, on which there is presently over-production, for renewable energy since Sweden does not have oil, gas or coal resources. It is estimated that there are between 300.000-500.000 ha available for willow plantations, and willow presents good energy efficency ratio.
Research is going on at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Swedish Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Upsala and a private company.
