German power giant RWE intends to further extend its biomass activities and in particular the use of wood as fuel in cogeneration power stations. To support this strategy, RWE Innogy Cogen, a subsidiary of RWE Innogy, has signed a contract with the tree nursery P&P, based in Eitelborn, Germany. The agreement forms the basis for planting up to 10,000 ha of fuel-wood plantations in Germany over the next four years. RWE Innogy Cogen is already operating four large biomass-fired cogeneration plants based on used wood. Obtaining fresh wood from fuel-wood plantations represents an important step towards safeguarding the fuel supply of the biomass-fired cogeneration plants planned for the future. The content of the agreement is that initially ‘parent tree nurseries’ will be created for fast growing tree varieties such as poplars over an area of 300 ha.

Fritz Vahrenholt, CEO of RWE Innogy, explained; “The model which we will implement in Germany shortly is the initial basis for extending our biomass activities in other countries within Europe. We will create further fuel-wood plantations wherever it is feasible.”