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Company boiler plate

Terravesta is a full-cycle Miscanthus biomass supply chain specialist. We provide high-performance, IP-protected Miscanthus hybrids to farmers, who grow them for biomass. Terravesta then purchases this biomass and supplies it to industrial biomass users through long-term agreements, while also handling all logistics. We ensure a seamless process from field to energy production, making us a reliable partner in sustainable biomass solutions.

Company description

Terravesta is the leading specialist for Miscanthus in the energy crop and biomass supply chain, producing sustainable energy and biomass from less productive land. Terravesta provides a sustainable solution for farmers and nature by improving soil, air and water health, biodiversity and reducing fertiliser use. Terravesta also provides high-yield IP protected, climate zone adapted varieties of Miscanthus, planting equipment, agronomic data and advice, and long term off-take contracts.

Terravesta invests heavily in research and development. It works not only with growers and companies, but also with academia, NGOs and governments to meet the needs of nature, farmers and industry. The mission is to develop perennial crops that reduce atmospheric carbon while creating new sustainable markets, materials and products.
Terravesta operates Europe’s largest nursery of Miscanthus rhizomes which makes it possible to supply thousands of hectares within a year’s notice. These rhizomes are exclusively cultivated to supply and establish new biomass fields. Specific nursery protocols are maintained in order to assure fresh and vigorous rhizomes for guaranteed establishment success. The rhizomes are then sold to growers with whom Terravesta has entered into long-term agreements to purchase Miscanthus biomass.
Terravesta’s operations use an improved, Miscanthus variety, Miscanthus x giganteus Terravesta Terravesta ATHENA™ It has undergone rigorous selection and development to ensure more vigorous, stronger, hardier plants with stable yields, tolerance to more extreme conditions and increased yields. Terravesta is currently working on the commercial development of five further CVPO protected hybrids through an exclusive agreement with Aberystwyth University. These should provide even better yields and individual technical characteristics good for specific industries and applications in selected climates.

Miscanthus giganteus

Miscanthus x giganteus, a perennial rhizomatous grass, is a lignocellulosic feedstock originating from Asia. After establishment from the third season onwards, this sterile, thus noninvasive hybrid grows to heights of up to 4 metres per season. Miscanthus receives little or no cultivation in its 20+ year life span. Its root structure stabilises and helps improve soil quality, as well as slowing flooding, thereby preventing soil and nutrient run-off into water courses.
Harvest in late winter or early spring and increased soil carbon and organic matter and ample leaf litter are considered favourable to biodiversity. Due to its suitability to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions the average fresh mass yield is a generous 8 – 20 metric tons per hectare per year depending on climatic conditions.

Terravesta Athena™

Terravesta Athena™ is the highest performing commercial variety of Miscanthus x giganteus. It has undergone rigorous selection and development to ensure more vigorous, stronger, hardier plants with stable yields, tolerance to more extreme conditions and higher yields. It comes from second and third year fields in a continuous rotation to keep the rhizomes rigorous.

Terravesta Athena™ starts very early and visibly outperforms Miscanthus giganteus (MxG). Rapid canopy development ensures that the rhizomes accumulate nutrients more quickly. As a result, Terravesta Athena™ overwinters better and emerges faster the following year. Terravesta Athena™ delivers a commercial harvest one year earlier than standard Miscanthus, in year two.

Miscanthus is carbon negative

Miscanthus giganteus biomass is carbon negative at the factory gate, with all previous production and logistics emissions included in the calculation of net carbon sequestration in the soil. Miscanthus sequesters a net 2.35 tonnes of CO2e per year per hectare as soil carbon.