Krone will show a machine that processes straw swaths into pellets per hour and on the move. Called the Premos 5000, the claimed output of up to 5,000kg/hr is three to five times that of most of today’s static pelleting systems. Requiring a tractor of around 400hp, material gathered by the 2.35m pick-up is made into pellets at pressures of up to 2,000 bar, which are then transferred to a 9m³ hopper. The manufacturer sees three big potential uses for the pellets. The first is for heating. With a density of 600-700kg/m³, 2.5kg of pellets substitute about one kg of heating oil. The second possible use for straw pellets is for animal bedding. 250g of pellets absorb about one litre of water, allowing manure volumes to be reduced by about 40%. Finally, temperatures of up to 80°C generated during the pelleting process helps to sterilise the pellets, resulting in a germ-free animal feedstuff. Krone plans to test the machine next year in hay and lucerne next year, ahead of a possible launch in 2017.