Stakeholder opinion on constrained 2030 bioenergy scenarios for North West England

English farmers are subsidised by the UK government to plant (short rotation coppice—SRC) willow as an energy crop. This study incorporates the outputs of techno-economic and environmental life cycle assessment modelling of bioenergy power and combined heat and power (CHP) plants within a simple spreadsheet model that enables users to partially modify bioenergy scenarios for SRC willow. The model is intended as an opinion-elicitation device. It is restricted in scope, reflecting the electrical power emphasis of the first phase of the Supergen Biomass and Bioenergy research programme. Bioenergy policy stakeholders in North West (NW) England were asked to use the model to develop 2030 scenarios for SRC willow fuelling eight types of bioenergy power and CHP plant. Users allocate finite land inputs to the different power and CHP plant types and the sheet outputs the energy supply, environmental and agricultural employment implications. Policy stakeholders are shown to hold widely differing views of how the bioenergy heat and power sector might and should look in 2030. If the policy stakeholders’ 2030 scenarios prove accurate, the percentage of regional households likely to be electrically supplied by willow coppice grown in NW England will be small, at some 3.6%.