SY Nordicstar powers green energy generation
Maize growers had a peek into the world of anaerobic digestion at a Syngenta Maize Agronomy workshop, hosted at the Frogmary Green Farm conference facilities of Somerset grower, Nick Bragg, and the farm’s associated AD power plant.
Nick (below, centre) reported SY Nordicstar was his best performing maize variety last year, and plans that it will make up the bulk his 300 hectares of the crop this season.
“The feedstock for the AD plant is every bit as important as a dairy cow’s diet,” reported Nick. “To perform efficiently and produce the maximum energy output it needs absolute consistency of the feedstock going in.”
The digester is fed every hour, with the feedstock spending a minimum of 56 days circulating in the fermentation tank (below) to release methane. The combined heat and power generating plant is planned to supply all the future energy for Nick and Claire Bragg’s expanding on-farm poultry production operation.
Giles added that the typically high quality of SY Nordicstar forage (above, with Nick Bragg), combined with the reliability of its yield performance, made it an ideal variety for farms dependent on maize for a high percentage of their cattle diet, or AD plant feedstock.
