Ireland's rural landscape looks set to change as hundreds of farmers seeking to grow alternative energy crops are planning to plant elephant grass which grows over 10 feet tall and can be used to fuel boilers and burners and in power stations.
Yesterday, Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, unveiled its crop of Miscanthus, the proper name for the grass,which is native to Asia and is used there for firing and thatching.
As part of its programme of research, the experimental station at Oak Park, Carlow, has been growing the grass for over a decade and bio-fuels expert Bernard Rice says he is inundated with queries.
As the Oak Park crop was being harvested for the burners in Carlow yesterday, Mr Rice said he expected a lot of farmers would turn to growing the bamboo-like crop if the outlets increased for it. "It is a very easy crop to grow because it needs very little attention once it is planted.
"However, establishment costs are high at €1,000 an acre, but then it does not need to be planted again and delivers high yields, especially on heavier soils," he added.
"It is not harvested in the first year but in the second year it will give three tonnes to the acre, the following years, seven and in some areas where the soil is suitable, yields of up to nine tonnes per acre can be obtained in year four."
Mr Rice said hundreds of acres of the crop are already being grown for fuel and horse bedding and there was potential for it to be used in power stations.