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The production of energy from dedicated crops biomass is one of the key actions within the existing policies to promote the renewable energies in Spain and in the European Union (EU).

As can be seen in the Table, in the EU, the Biomass Action Plan 2004-2010 forsees an increment of biomass energy consumption of 63,7 Mtoe for heat and electricity applications in 2010 compared with the figures in 2003. Of this amount about 49 Mtoe are estimated to be obtained from energy crops biomass. For transport biofuels the increment in the cited period is of 17,3 Mtoe to totalize 19 Mtoe in 2010.

In Spain, the Renewable Energies Plan 2004-2010, estimates that  53,9 % of the total increment of biomass use in the period (7,20 Mtoe) will be produced from energy crops.

(1) Source: Plan de Acción de la Biomasa 2005-2010.
(2) Source: Plan de Energías Renovables 2005-2010

Since biomass will remain to supply the most important portion of renewable energy in 2010, both in the UE and Spain, it can be concluded that the commercial deployment of energy crops is a critical issue to comply with the expected objectives for biomass and the renewable resources in general.

In contrast with the existing expectatives, the present development of energy crops is still small and research and demonstration effort is required prior to its commercial implementation. In this context, On Cultivos is a relevant and efficient response in order to try to achieve the objectives of the existing renewable energies and environmental policies in Spain and the EU.