4 November 2008
Biodiesel energy crop field days in Southland, South Canterbury and Canterbury
Biodiesel New Zealand is hosting a series of South Island field days in November to give potential oilseed rape growers
an opportunity to learn more about the crop and progress made by the business since its first harvests earlier this
year.
Solid Energy’s renewable fuel business has several thousand hectares of South Island land in a variety of European
oilseed rape cultivars, the majority sown in Autumn. Andrew Simcock, Biodiesel New Zealand’s General Manager, says the
business is building a portfolio of contracts for oilseed and is interested in talking to landowners about sowing autumn
2009 crop.
“We have learned some lessons in this last year and we want to share that information with experienced cropping farmers
who may be interested in contracts and with other farmers who have land that may be available for lease,” Mr Simcock
says. “Our agronomy team members will attend the field days and will talk about our time-of-sowing trials, cultivar
performance and crop management as well as contract options.”
Biodiesel New Zealand has been working with the Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) since earlier this year to evaluate
the potential for biodiesel crops in New Zealand. The research aim is to develop a clear understanding of the benefits
and value of oilseed rape as a break crop, optimal crop management approaches, and to ensure that international
experience is applied here in a sound scientific manner.
Used in rotation with cereals as a break crop, oilseed rape in Europe has been shown to improve grain yields. Oil
production also results in a high-energy meal by-product which is expected to replace some imported stock food
supplements. Biodiesel New Zealand has begun construction of an oil extraction and biodiesel production facility at
Rolleston.
Biodiesel from oilseed rape, grown and produced in New Zealand, is sustainable, emitting around 50% less carbon dioxide
over its life cycle than the mineral diesel it displaces, an independent report by CRL Energy Ltd estimates. The report
also identifies opportunities to further reduce this carbon footprint, for instance by using no-tillage cultivation.
No-tillage and other energy-saving cultivation and crop management techniques are being trialled by Biodiesel New
Zealand.
The field day schedule is:
● Southland (Otama) - Thursday 6 November 1-3pm, Solari property on Otama Flat Road, north-west of Gore (signposted from
Otamita Bridge corner of Waimea Highway - SH94).
● South Canterbury (Hook) - Thursday 13 November 1-3pm, Foley property at Hook, corner of O’Neill’s and Rathgens Roads
(signposted from O’Neill’s Road turnoff at SH1, south of Makikihi).
● Canterbury (Darfield) - Thursday 20 November 1-3pm, Morrison property at Racecourse Hill (signposted from intersection
of West Coast Road - SH73 - and Bleak House Road).
ENDS