RWE tests biogas use of Silphium perfoliatum

Jun 4, 2013 - German energy group RWE AG (ETR:RWE) is planting a field with 160,000 Silphium perfoliatum plants in order to test their yield for biomass and biogas production, the company said last week.

The new field at the Garzweiler open-cast mine is the size of more than eight football pitches and aims to check how much care the plants need and what the area yield is.

The plants are to be used at RWE's Neurath and Bergheim-Paffendorf biogas power facilities.

Silphium perfoliatum comes from North America, can grow in dry regions and its yield is comparable to that of maize.

The project is carried out by RWE's RWE Innogy, RWE Power as well as consultancy company Koelner Buero fuer Faunistik.

RWE has been growing Silphium perfoliatum for test needs since 2010 and continues to expand the areas planted with it.

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