Why willow?

Hardy – elite varieties of willow trees will grow on a wide range of soils, including on marginal land and areas subject to occasional flooding. This makes them ideally suited to underutilized crop land.

Low maintenance – willow plantations require little maintenance, including minimal fertilizer and pesticide application.

Cost-effective – once established, willow yields surprisingly low lifetime production costs.

Disease and pest resistant – today’s hybrids have been specially bred to increase resistance to pests and disease native to North America.

High success rate – willows are readily established by planting unrooted cuttings and have proven to be a reliable crop.

Easy to harvest – elite willow varieties are bred for upright growth to promote efficient harvesting. Once harvested, the willow plants do not need to be replanted – they grow right back.

High-yield, short-rotation – by matching varieties with local climate and soil conditions, willow crops can be established and harvested in two or three year rotations.  

High quality energy – the quality and availability of traditional biomass sources, such as industrial and forest waste, is highly variable. Purpose-grown willow consistently delivers high-quality, carbon-neutral energy, making it a smart choice of fuel.

Long life span – willow crops typically provide consistent yields for 25 to 30 years. 

To learn more about growing willow for energy, download our industrial brochure or watch these videos.