• Hank@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Poplars are probably the best way to get a lot of biomass quickly. I doubt hemp is a competitive alternative.

      And they’re not engineering a new species of tree, they just modified the trees to reduce the lignin content so the cellulose can be processed easier and less resource intense.

    • oatscoop@midwest.social
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      1 year ago

      Trees provide habitat for wildlife, can grow in areas less conducive to farming, and require little to no care after planting.

      • Hank@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        While what you’re saying is generally true about trees, they’re creating poplars for the paper industry. They will grow in big monocultures and get mowed down after just a decade. That’s pretty much worthless as an ecosystem.
        They’re grown in a similar way for biomass for the energy sector. Poplars are probably the easiest way to build up a lot of biomass.

        • TheYear2525@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Poplars are probably the easiest way to build up a lot of biomass.

          That’s why they’re so poplar.