Dichrostachys cinerea as a possible energy crop—facts and figures

Biomass contributes already with more than 10% to cover the global energy demand. This contribution will continue to grow in the years to come due to increasing fossil fuel prices and climate protection. To make this happen, additional sustainable biomass resources must become available to be used as a source of energy. Against this background, the goal of this paper is it to analyse the properties of Dichrostachys cinerea (Marabú) as an energy crop. The investigation shows that this wood is characterised by properties comparable with other types of woody biomass with a longer crop period. Only the ash content is slightly higher. In addition, the airborne emissions released during combustion are relatively low in general. Thus, wood from D. cinerea (Marabú) can be seen as a promising fuel.