Growing energy catch crops in South-West France

Energy catch crops (ECC) can be used to produce biogas, a renewable energy. At the Béarn experimental site, a winter ECC has been introduced into maize monocropping systems. A maize-soybean succession is being studied from the technical, economic and environmental points of view. In order to limit production costs and to introduce the ECC quickly after the harvest of the previous crop, the itinerary must be as simple as possible: implementation, nitrogen fertilization at the end of winter and harvesting are the only crop operations required. Maize management should also be adapted. When markets and selling prices are attractive, the net margin on annual production is increased. More generally, the establishment of a cover crop offers many environmental benefits.