Miscanthus Giganteus is a large warm-season perennial grass that has received widespread attention as a biomass crop. A C4 plant that exhibits greater photosynthetic efficiency and lower water use requirements than other plants, Miscanthus Giganteus has low nutritional requirements and high nitrogen use efficiency and grows well on barren land (The University of Georgia, 2010). The crop generally grows 11 feet tall and will get as high as 14 feet (ethanolproducer.com).

Currently a leading biomass crop in the United States and in Europe, Miscanthus Giganteus is used primarily for combustion in power plants due to its low water and ash contents and high energy output to input ratio. After harvest it can be burned to produce heat and steam for power turbines and when combined in a 50%-50% mixture with coal, it can be used in some current coal-burning power plants without modifications (Miscanthus Growers Ltd, 2011).

In addition to providing clean and affordable electricity and heat, Miscanthus Giganteus is

BIO E-GRASS INTRODUCING MISCANTHUS GIGANTEOUS

an environmentally-friendly crop (excellent for carbon sequestration and soil building), non- invasive and has been identified as possessing the greatest biomass potential to date (Iowa State University’s Department of Agronomy, 2011).

The main feature distinguishing Miscanthus Giganteus from other biomass crops is its high lignocellulose yields. Studies in the United States revealed that Miscanthus Giganteus yields two to four times more than the more familiar crop, Switchgrass. In the United Kingdom, long-term average harvestable yields from a mature Miscanthus Giganteus plantation have exceeded 13 oven dry tonnes per hectare per year (odt/ha/yr) (Miscanthus Best Practice Guidelines, 2011). The crop’s high yields, low yearon-year maintenance and its 20-year lifespan have catapulted Miscanthus Giganteus up the biomass ladder, making it top of mind for governments and organisations within the EU who need to contribute to the region’s targets, including 20% energy consumption derived from renewable sources, by 2020.

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Miscanthus Giganteus

Poales (grass-like)

Lowlands in Japan, Taiwan and Pacific Islands

Tall grass and leaves with silver midribs

Upright and arching

Spread: 1.0 – 1.5m / Height: 2 – 3.5m

Fast

Low

High yielding biofuel feedstock

Spring, will remain standing throughout winter

Full sun, moist fertile soil

E-GRASS QUICK FACTS

PLANTINGMiscanthus Giganteus has to be propagated vegetatively typically through mechanical division of rhizomes in the field. Planted in spring, the woody grass will grow for 15-20 years, producing an annual harvest from year 2 (Fox Hollow Farms). During winter, the leaves fall off and contribute to the development of soil humus and nutrient cycling.

During late spring and summer, Miscanthus Giganteus produces bamboo-like canes which are harvested in late winter or early spring. The growth pattern is repeated annually for the lifetime of the crop, i.e. 15-20 years.A non-invasive species, the harvesting of Miscanthus Giganteus involves mowing, swathing and baling and can be performed by converted grass harvesters and balers. It is possible to plant over 20 hectares of Miscanthus rhizomes per day.

A focus on planting quality is vitally important to the resulting crop yield and fundamental to the successful economics of a 20-year crop.

Ensuring a high yield is dependent on the following 4 factors:

1. Fresh Rhizomes (not cold stored) · 2. Precision Planting Technology · 3. Good Soils · 4. Correct Agronomy(Energy Crops, 2010)

Miscanthus Giganteus produces an average yield of 20 MT/ha compared to 5.78 MT/ha for Switchgrass (ethanolproducer.com). The comparative productivity of the two crops has shown Miscanthus Giganteus produces more than twice the biomass of Switchgrass. Mature stands of Miscanthus Giganteus averaged 48.3 TDM/ha (2.3 SE) representing an energy conversion efficiency of 1.3 - 2.0% of incident solar radiation to biomass, while Switchgrass produced 15.3 TDM/ha (2.8 SE), a conversion efficiency of 0.06 - 0.85% (American Society of Plant Biologists, 2011).

Generally speaking, in order to produce enough ethanol to offset 20% of gasoline use, 25% of cropland needs to be taken out from food production. Using Miscanthus Giganteus would require only 9.3% of current agricultural acreage (Professor Stephen P. Long, Energy Biosciences Institute, 2010).

Miscanthus Giganteus can gain greater amounts of photosynthetic carbon per unit due to its greater leaf area and longer growing season, allowing it to produce more biomass than Switchgrass (Frank Dohlemand, University of Illinois, 2010)

MISCANTHUS vs. SWITCHGRASS

Switchgrass is a warm season grass that is a dominant species of the remnant tall grass prairies in the United States. It can successfully grow on land that is difficult to vegetate such as sand dunes and mining sites and has shown great tolerance to heat, drought and nitrogen stress (American Society of Plant Biologists, 2011).

Switchgrass and Miscanthus Giganteus are similar in that they both sequester carbon and have good soil-building characteristics. The primary difference is with respect to biofuel ethanol conversion, where Miscanthus Giganteus is considered to have twice the economic advantage over Switchgrass (Ethanol Report, 2010).

Adding to this, because Miscanthus is a perennial grass, it also accumulates much more carbon in the soil than an annual crop such as corn or soybeans (renewableenergyworld.com). Another important differentiator between Maize and Miscanthus Giganteus is that the former is a food crop. As a result, market prices for corn directly affect the price of Maize, which in turn, affects the ability of many farmers to produce the crop. Miscanthus Giganteus will not be affected by changes in demand and has no direct correlation to the price of food (Global Change Biology, 2010).

“The big yields from giant miscanthus are important because of the concerns about food versus fuel, the higher the ethanol yield from energy crops means that less land will need to be taken from food production” (ethanolproducer.com, 2007).

MISCANTHUS vs. MAIZE

The key difference between Miscanthus Giganteus and Maize is the sheer quantity of biomass generated per annum. In the first side-by-side large-scale trials of these two C4 crops in the United States, Miscanthus Giganteus was 59% more productive than grain maize (University of Illinois, 2009).

Specifically, it has been found that with Miscanthus the amount of biomass generated each year produces approximately 2 1/2 times the amount of ethanol that can be produced from corn.

One reason why Miscanthus yields more biomass than corn is that it produces green leaves about six weeks earlier in the growing season (University of Illinois, 2008).

WHY ENERGY CROPS?

“The Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) set a target for 15% renewable energy in the UK by 2020 across heat, power and transport fuel sectors” (NNFCC Energy

Crops, 2011)

The urgent need for atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) abatement has increased the market for energy crops. Governments worldwide are focusing environmental efforts on sustainable and responsible initiatives in the energy crop market. The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement linked to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that sets binding targets for 37 industrialised countries and the European community for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

In particular, the United Kingdom is required to reduce GHG emissions by 12.5% below 1990 levels by 2012. These targets could mean the generation of 500 – 1000 MWe from biomass, an undertaking that would demand as much as 125,000 hectares of energy crops (Department of Energy and Climate Change UK, 2010).

Miscanthus Giganteus can be used to produce heat, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or electrical power on a range of scales, from large power stations (30 MW+) requiring hundreds of thousands of tonnes of biomass annually, to small-scale systems (on-farm or single buildings) requiring just a few dozen tonnes during winter months.

Miscanthus Giganteus is considered to be one of the fastest growing and highest yielding biomass feedstocks on the market today (International Energy Crops, 2010). Furthermore, the crop bales at 12-15% moisture content in the field, compared to that of woodchip which is typically 50% moisture content. For this reason, Miscanthus Giganteus offers

Miscanthus Giganteus has a net calorific value, on a dry basis, of 17 MJ/kg, with a 2.7% ash content. Growing Miscanthus Giganteus as a fuel is immensely energy efficient. A UK life cycle energy analysis determined an energy ratio of over 30 for Miscanthus Giganteus, i.e. for every unit of energy expended in producing the crop over 30 units of energy are obtained (Green Flame Biomass Briquettes, 2011).

Five Must-Know” Facts

1. 5km square of a Miscanthus crop will produce enough electricity to power 9,000 homes for 1 year (Energy Crops, 2010).

2. 125kg of Miscanthus Giganteus generated into electricity would light a 60W lightbulb for 8 hours per night for 1 year (Fox Hollow Farms, 2010).

3. It is estimated that 20 ha of Miscanthus Giganteus could provide all the heat necessary to run an average-sized farm (Natural England Farming, 2010).

4. Miscanthus Giganteus biomass contains 47% carbon, therefore a crop of 15 tonnes of dry matter per hectare would fix, in a single year, 7 tonnes of carbon equivalent to 25.7 tonnes of CO2 (Renewable Energy World, 2010).

5. Co-firing Miscanthus Giganteus pellets could save 16.4 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in GHG per hectare per year of a high yielding Miscanthus Giganteus crop (Jonathan Harvey, Crops for Industry, 2009)

Miscanthus & Electricity Generation

Case Study: Edenderry Power Limited Edenderry Power Limited was Ireland’s first large scale Independent Power Producer and has been in operation since 2000. JHM Crops Ltd was the first company to test and prove the capability of Miscanthus Giganteus as a fuel supply for its Edenderry Power Station.The Edenderry plant burns up to one million tonnes of peat each year as part of the drive to cut carbon emissions nationally. The Bord Na Móna power plant in Edenderry aims to switch to 30pc renewable sources by 2015.

The plant conducted trials on burning Miscanthus Giganteus to help achieve its targets. If their targets are to be achieved, the three power stations at the plant should be replacing 900,000 tonnes of peat with approximately 600,000 tonnes of biomass annually from 2015.

The case study revealed the following positive results: by displacing the carbon emissions from peat and coal with carbon negative Miscanthus Giganteus they have prolonged the life of power stations, secured jobs in the sector and saved the exchequer (State Treasury) the cost of buying carbon credits. The market will not fully develop until a price in excess of €10 per GJ is paid for purpose-grown energy crops with the help of a renewable energy feed in tariff (REFIT). The peat stations in Ireland will be able to take 5-10% miscanthus, i.e. 4,000 ha per station per year.

Miscanthus Giganteus grown in Ireland will complement progress in the wind and wave sectors and coal-fired power plants, such as Moneypoint, which is looking to use the biomass to produce power.

Miscanthus Giganteus as Biofuel The rapid growth, low mineral content and high biomass yield of Miscanthus Giganteus have made it a preferred choice of biofuel in the United States and in parts of Europe.

Miscanthus Giganteus is well suited to co-firing alongside coal, wood or straw fuels within dedicated biomass plants. The fuel pellets can be produced for prices similar to other biomass pellets.

In the United States, Energy Crop qualifying fuels attract the advantage of an additional 0.5ROC / MWh for power generators.

The crop possesses the following characteristics:› Energy content of 16GJ/tonne (or 4.44MWh/t oven dried) › Low Moisture Content, Pellets typical less than 8%, Briquettes circa 12% and Bales 15% › Ash- 1.5% to 2.5% typical, Melting temp 1,090degC, Sulphur 0.1% (Fox Hallow Farms, 2010).

Carbon Offsetting“The Gambian economy has continued to perform well under the Extended Credit Facility, with growth set to remain at about 5.5 to 6% a year, while inflation is kept in check” (The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund, 2011)

Globally, energy crops are being used to mitigate future CO2 emissions. The concept is relatively simple – as plants grow they draw-down atmospheric CO2 through photosynthesis. If they are then used to generate energy, the CO2 released will have previously been taken out of the atmosphere in the recent past (unlike mined fossil fuels) and will not raise atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Miscanthus Giganteus absorbs as much carbon as is released when it is burnt so there is no net increase in CO2 into the atmosphere. Furthermore, some carbon is sequestered in the soil from root and rhizome growth (Miscanthus Best Practice Guidelines, 2011).

The high energy balance of Miscanthus Giganteus is associated with a high carbon balance for the crop. Calculations put the Miscanthus Giganteus carbon ratio at 53:1 (Renewable Energy World, 2011). This means that, of the carbon contained in the fuel, for every one part of man-made carbon inputs needed to grow and harvest it, 53 parts are absorbed by the crop from the environment.

Harvested for co-firing in late winter, the crop is potentially carbon neutral, because only the carbon fixed by photosynthesis in the previous growing season is released when the crop is co-fired with coal, saving an equivalent amount of fossil fuel carbon from coal. Thus a significant quantity of emissions can be prevented by co-firing.

In addition to its positive energy balance (particularly when compared with other energy crops such as rapeseed), Miscanthus Giganteus can sequester large amounts of carbon underground for over 100 years (Renewable Energy World, 2011). Miscanthus Giganteus cane is harvested annually but no soil cultivation is carried out after the first year, so that in the first four years Miscanthus Giganteus may sequester 7-9 tonnes of carbon per hectare in the soil (Jonathan Harvey, Crops for Industry, 2009).

Carbon is stored in the rhizomes and roots of Miscanthus Giganteus as well as in unharvested stubble. In addition, an increase in soil carbon will occur if Miscanthus Giganteus is planted into former tillage land. By contrast, long-term annual cropping reduces soil carbon, and arable soils typically contain less than 2% carbon. Noncultivation of arable land typically increases soil carbon. Land typically contains 130 to 650 tonnes of carbon per hectare, so the potential for carbon sequestration with Miscanthus Giganteus can be considerable (Jonathan Harvey, Crops for Industry, 2009).

Experiments conducted in Ireland have shown that Miscanthus Giganteus can store 8.8 tonnes of carbon per hectare in its roots and rhizomes 12 years into its life (Miscanthus Best Practice Guidelines, 2011).

The amount of carbon captured by Miscanthus Giganteus can be further enhanced if plantations are used for the bioremediation of effluents and sludges’.

Cellulosic Ethanol: Step-by-Ste arbon Offsetting1. Switchgrass, Miscanthus Giganteus, wood chips or other plant material is harvested and transported to the processing plant.2. Pre-treatment of the plant material with heat, enzymes or acids disentangles cellulose from the complex web of molecules in plant cell wall.3. The cellulose undergoes hydrolysis, where it is broken down into glucose sugar molecules.4. Microbes ferment the sugars to produce ethanol, a kind of alcohol. The ethanol is separated from the slurry of water.5. The ethanol is then ready to be blended with gasoline, or be used alone as a source of fuel(Biomass Energy Resource Centre, 2011)

The Republic of GambiaINTRODUCTIONThe Republic of The Gambia (herein referred to as Gambia) is located on the west coast of Africa and is entirely surrounded by Senegal to the north, east and south and by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The region’s natural beauty and proximity to Europe has made the country one of the high-growth economies in Western Africa. Furthermore, its unrivalled ideal climate and navigable river, that forms the country’s main commercial channel for tourism, have placed Gambia at a comparatively advantageous position to become the sub-regional hegemony in trade and services.

THE ECONOMYGambia has a liberal, market-based economy characterised by traditional subsistence agriculture. The majority of the population relies on the farming and service sectors such as trade, transport and tourism. The country’s economy is reliant on agricultural exports as a foreign currency earner. Although some middle-income and oilexporting economies were hit hard by the collapse in export and commodity marKets as a result of the global financial crisis, the region managed to grow by 2.6% in 2009 and 5% in 2010.

Its growth is expected to escalate further to 5.5% in 2011 (The Gambia Monthly Economic Bulletin, October 2010).The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that the Gambian economy performed well in 2010. The domestic economy grew by 5.5%, boosted by strong growth in agriculture (Central Bank of Gambia). Real GDP growth is forecast to rise to 6% in 2011 and 6.1% in 2012 as agriculture benefits from a sharp increase in public spending (Gambia Country Report, 2011).

Statistics show that agriculture accounts for roughly 30% of GDP and employs about 80% of the labour force (Nigerian Tribune, 2011). Gambia has grown to become an investment haven, with potential and promise for further growth, based upon sound and consistent macro-economic policies, constitutional guarantees against expropriation of investment and for protection of investment.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTGambia has a diverse culture, a stable democratic system of government and a thriving economy. The country enjoyed US$47 million in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in 2010 due to its open door and non-discriminatory foreign investment regime in which foreign companies are treated the same as local companies (2010 Index of economic freedom, heritage.org). The Gambian economy is premised on a liberal, free market economic environment together with an appropriate political and social policy framework. Whilst FDI is encouraged in virtually all sectors of the economy, the Gambian Government gives the highest priority to the following areas:

› Agriculture › Fisheries and forestry exploitation› Tourism and travel › Light manufacturing and assembling› Energy› Mineral exploration and exploitation › Communication and services.

Importantly, the Government is, at the moment, in the advanced stages of planning to establish Free Economic Zones (FEZ) and special industrial zones within a Free Zone Authority. It is hoped that this will facilitate access to locations, industrial services and related infrastructure for profitable investment (www.gambia.gm, 2011).

AGRICULTURE“Most of the people in the world are poor, so if we knew the economics of being poor we would know much of the economics that really matters. Most of the world’s poor people earn their living from agriculture, so if we knew the economics of agriculture we would know much of the economics of being poor.” (Shultz, 1979)

Thirty years on, those in developing countries who depend on agriculture for their living are still typically much poorer than people who work in other sectors of the economy. Yet they represent a significant share, often the majority, of the total number of poor people in the countries in which they live. With three quarters of the labour force employed in the agricultural field, it is no surprise that Gambia’s economy is largely dependent on this sector.

Since 1994, the Gambian Government has taken Agriculture as a priority sector in its development agenda and has provided the biggest support to the extension service in terms of both personnel, and physical and financial resources’. In particular, the Government has focused on the field crops sector, supporting increased crop production through mechanisation and irrigation projects (Department of Agricultural Services).

The country has great potential for irrigated agriculture - with fresh water from the river Gambia, rain water if harvested, and fossil water that can be drilled. It also has a weather pattern that is suitable for almost all production (Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency, 2011). Gambia has 558,000 hectares of good quality arable land, of which only 200,000 hectares are currently under rain-fed agricultural production. As with most countries on the continent, the success of the agricultural sector directly affects local income, food security and poverty-levels. Some 75% of the population is employed in the sector with the remainder of the labor force divided by commerce/services (19%) and Government (6%) (nationmaster.com, 2011).

Approximately 54% of the land area in Gambia is deemed good quality arable land (5,500 square kilometres), of which 39% (1,880 sq. km) is currently farmed by the 41,000 subsistence farmers in Gambia (accessgambia.com, 2011). Gambia is at the implementation stage of the Vision 2020 blueprint and wants to become an export-oriented agricultural nation through a reputable and high quality “Made in The Gambia” brand.

TOURISM Gambia arguably has the most agreeable climate in West Africa with subtropical weather and distinct dry and rainy seasons. From mid-November to early June, coastal areas are usually dry, while the rainy season lasts from late June to October. Tourism plays a dominant role in Gambia’s economic development process. The sector is the main foreign exchange earner for the country, contributing over 12% to GDP and employing over 16,000 people (The 2007-2011 Country Programme Document for the United Nations Development Programme). The government has secured US$3 million from the World Bank to support the tourism sector under the Growth and Competitiveness Project, while an additional 3 million Gambian Dalasi (US$107,325) will be provided by the government to support a new marketing strategy (worldbank.org, 2011)

THE REPUBLIC OF GAMBIA“The government of The Gambia is encouraging renewable forms of energy including solar PV systems, wind energy, biomass and other renewable energy systems and technologies.The country enjoys year-round sunshine ideal for tapping solar energy for commercial and domestic purposes.

There is potential to develop the wind and biomass sources. The government has established Gambia Renewable Energy Center and seeks to collaborate with interested companies, individuals, development charities, research entities for the development of renewable energy.” (www.gambia.gm, 2011)

INTRODUCING BIO E-GRASS“The beauty of miscanthus is that you only have to sow it once...Because of the way it grows, there is no need for fertilisers or chemicals.” An English entrepreneur talks about his experience with Miscanthus as an energy crop (Grantham Today, 2006)

We believe we have a responsibility to ensure that our projects are not only at the forefront of investment opportunities on the market today, but that they have a positive impact on the environment in which we operate. At the conclusion of a 2010 UK study conducted by the Hadley Centre Met Office, we began to investigate the potential of Miscanthus Giganteus as a biofuel alternative investment project. The study found that large-scale use of the energy crop Miscanthus Giganteus could “effectively reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, with a best estimate scenario resulting in a reduction in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 by 162 ppmv by the end of the century”.

Furthermore, the study estimated the payback of the Miscanthus Giganteus carbon debt (i.e. the carbon emissions cost of displacing natural vegetation) in 30 years! Previous estimates for other liquid biofuels, such as corn ethanol, were estimated to take 167-420 years to pay back their carbon debt. “Our study demonstrates the huge potential of energy crops, in particular of Miscanthus. Also, by scaling the results up to the global scale as we do in this study we are developing a new set of tools for evaluating energy crops.” (John Hughes, UK Met Office Research Scientist, 2010)

With high-end research such as the above conducted in the UK, Anstiss Investments began to “team up” with our agricultural experts and agronomists in Western Africa to discover the potential of the perennial crop in the Region.All fingers began pointing towards Gambia, and our Miscanthus Giganteus opportunity became a BIO E-GRASS TM reality.

MISCANTHEUS GIGANTEUS RHIZOMES Miscanthus Giganteus is propagated by underground storage organs known as rhizomes. Rhizomes should be planted approximately 4 inches deep and 3 feet apart within rows and 3 feet between rows. The optimal planting density is 1-2 plants/m2 (Miscanthus Giganteus Best Practice Guidelines, 2010). These rhizomes can be split and the pieces re-planted to produce new plants. High quality rhizomes are the basis for strong Miscanthus Giganteus yields. The Rhizomes purchased have been produced under strict quality policies and guidelines giving every possible chance for achieving the maximum yields possible.

THE GROWING CYCLEMiscanthus Giganteus produces new shoots annually which usually emerge from the soil during Spring. These shoots develop into erect, robust stems, which reach 1 - 2 m in height during the year of planting, with a diameter of 10 mm. The stems, which have an appearance similar to bamboo canes, are usually unbranched and contain a solid pith.

Crop drying accelerates during autumn, as nutrients move back to the rhizome. Leaves then fall and a deep leaf litter develops. Any remaining foliage dies following the first air frost, and the stems dry to a relatively low moisture content (30-50%) during winter. By winter, free standing, almost leafless canes remain and these are harvested mechanically.

This growth cycle is repeated once spring-time temperatures increase again. From the second season onwards the crop can be expected to achieve a maximum height of 2.5 - 3.5 m (Defra Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, 2011)

INTRODUCING BIO E-GRASS contd...“It is predicted that global biofuel production will quadruple within the next 15–20 years due primarily to rising oil prices and government policies encouraging the increased production of ethanol and biodiesel” (Gibbs et al., 2008)

YIELDSThe average yields are 12-15 oven dried tonnes (ODT) per annum, equating to 15-18 fresh tonnes per hectare. Miscanthus Giganteus grows in such a way that the number of stems per rhizome doubles, if not triples, year-on-year until saturation point at approximately 6 years.

The yield from the first season’s growth, at 1-2 MT/ha, is not considered to be worth harvesting in economical terms. After the second year, the first harvest can take place and is expected to produce in the vicinity of 5 to 10 MT/ha (Energy Solutions, 2009). By the third year, Miscanthus Giganteus can produce between 10 -13 MT/ha, increasing to 16 - 20 MT/ha by year 6. Good plant spacing and site choice are both major factors in determining potential yield (Miscanthus Best Practice Guidelines, 2010).

INVESTING IN BIO E-GRASS A unique project that will produce a staggering 500 hectares of the large warm-season perennial grass and leading biomass crop in the United States – Miscanthus Giganteus.Tipped to be the highest yielding biomass project on the investment market today, the project will provide investors with:

› Commercial Revenue Rights on land in Gambia for 15 years› Supply of the highest quality Rhizomes on the market› Annual Returns after profits generated post-harvest› First return in less than 18 months of investment› Projected returns of a minimum $1,280 every year from

YOUR INVESTMENT Up-front entry fee - $1,850To partake in this unique project, you need to invest just USD $1,850 per hectare. This will provide you with the Commercial Revenue Rights Certificate on your specific land allocation for the next 15 years (effectively, an investment of just $123 pa)

One-off plantation fee - $1,600In order to grow BIO E-GRASS TM on your land, you will need to purchase Miscanthus Giganteus Rhizomes for plantation. We have secured an off-take agreement with a leading supplier of Rhizomes at a significantly reduced rate compared to that in the UK for just USD $1,600 per hectare. Thankfully, Miscanthus Giganteus is a perennial grass, which means this fee is payable only once, and after the plantation has been successfully completed the crop will grow for 15 years with very little maintenance Total investment. USD $3,450 per hectare

“Miscanthus Giganteus has created a significant opportunity for the bioenergy industry to utilise a high yield feedstock to generate significant returns whilst having a positive impact on the environment.” Greg Longdon, Director, Platinum Management Platinum Management is a highly respected and experienced operator within the African Agriculture and Biofuel sectors. Its key personnel are acknowledged as some of Africa’s leading experts in these areas. The Moringa Oliefera project in Mozambique has been one of Platinum’s most successful projects to date. The project has attracted both corporate and private wealth clients globally. Our key responsibility is to ensure the highest productivity and yield for investors. The Moringa project is well underway with the first harvest due in 2011.

Whilst we are always passionate about what we do, the team at Platinum has never been so eager to help bring a project to market. BIO E-GRASS project is the first of it’s kind, and we have brought on the best in the field to assist us in ensuring we achieve the highest crop yields and therefore returns for all investors. If engaged, Platinum will take on the following responsibilities:

› Daily on-site farm management from plantation to harvest› Field inspection, site preparation and weed control › Soil conservation › Planting› Harvesting and baling, ensuring a dry crop for a higher energy yield and bale value › Profitable and timely sales› Employment of local workers› Insuring the land and the harvest › Plantation, harvest and distribution of rice to the locals

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY & ETHICA L INVESTING

OUR COMMITMENT TO GAMBIA Standing firm to our commitment to Socially Responsible Investments, we will supply the Gambian locals with labour employment and their most important staple food crop: rice. Due to Gambia’s high population growth, the Gambians depend heavily on imports of rice and the dietary energy supply is barely sufficient to meet population energy requirements. Thirty per cent of the population are deemed undernourished. The importance of rice is found in the minerals, vitamins and fibre content and supplying rice to the locals at no cost will help support the Government’s commitment to bring its people out of poverty.

Further to this, we will be employing over 200 local workers who will be paid 30% above the average daily rate for the Region. Whilst we believe in ensuring our investors achieve the best possible returns, we also believe that a degree of “fair play” should apply with all of our projects and will always seek to leave behind a positive footprint that sees entire villages benefit from our initiatives.

ALL PRODUCTS MUST MEET OUR CORE VALUES

ETHICALWe value both the needs of the investor as well as those of the local communities where our projects are based.With this in mind, an integral factor in our project planning and development is a verifiable local community plan that clearly enhances and advances the standard of living of the local communities. We equally do not believe in destroying natural resources nor using food-growing lands for commercial gains, whatever the profit available in doing so.To this end, we ensure that our projects benefit the environment, providing added value from top to bottom.

SUSTAINABLEWe believe in renewability – hence our interest in projects that serve sustainable needs such as food supply, biodiesel production and nutritional supplements rather than sporadic and transitional ‘boom’ market opportunities.

DIVERSEWe believe in diversification outside of the standard vein of investment opportunities available. This is clearly illustrated in our interest in Biofuels and Mineral Exploration, as well as affordable housing and forestry for carbon offsetting purposes.

SECURITYWe scour the globe, not only to identify profitable opportunities, but also to find investment security that gives confidence to our clients. To this end, we ensure that all opportunities are housed and structured under the relevant laws (offering additional protection) and that all opportunities offer contractually guaranteed returns.

Anstiss Investment GroupsTel: (+44) 0203 384 5539

Email: info@anstiss.com