Capture of agricultural surplus water determines the productivity and scale of new low-rainfall woody crop industries

This paper presents a conceptual model for estimating the maximum scale of biomass processing industry that may be supported by woody crops grown in the medium and low rainfall agricultural regions of southern Australia. The model integrates paddock scale economics, water capture by woody crops, conversion of water to woody biomass, and estimation of suitable area. It enables estimates to be made of the maximum scale of implementation of commercial woody crops in various climatic regions, and the maximum amount of woody biomass that could be produced commercially within an economic transport distance of a processing facility. To demonstrate the utility of the model, potential biomass supply is estimated for 2 Western Australian wheatbelt towns, Merredin and Narrogin. These estimates are compared with the feedstock requirements of a range of different processing industries. This paper demonstrates that the rate of converting water to biomass and water capture biomass price are key determinants of the potential scale of biomass crops and processing industries in the southern Australian wheat and wool belts and hence the potential contribution of woody crops to dryland salinity management.