In a new revelation, the most popular plant in biogas production facilities, corn, has new competition. In a three year cultivation study, the Thuringian State Institute for Agriculture (German), together with the Agency of Renewable Resources, followed crop rotation patterns of several plants which can be utilized for biomass.

Aside from the traditional biomass crops, exotic alternatives such as millet, Sudan grass, amaranth, and Jerusalem artichoke were tested. An ambitious national goal (German) has been set: farmers are to receive specific cultivation recommendations for suitable biomass crops on the basis of compiled ecological and economic characteristics of their respective region by 2008. The Agency of Renewable Resources is currently involved in an 8 million Euro promotional campaign specifically devoted to the “cultivation of energy plants”.