BIOMASS BENEFICIATION – Value from alien vegetation

Invasive alien vegetation in South Africa’s strategic water source areas utilise water in excess of 400 million m3/year. Their removal could potentially unlock significant quantities of water, a critical pre-requisite for a water secure future South Africa. Finding a suitable use for the significant amount of biomass generated has been a long-standing local challenge that also presents a unique opportunity. Optimising the value of biomass could help to cover the costs of clearing, potentially making it more economically viable and creating more jobs. We look at potential biomass beneficiation applications that could create value from alien vegetation and the need to develop local biomass beneficiation value chains.