According to a report published in the Global Change Biology Journal, researchers have found that Miscanthus x giganteus yield far more energy than switchgrass. Miscanthus x giganthus is used in bioenergy production, while the switch grass is used as bioenergy feedstock. The results were based on a field trial conducted over the course of 10 years where both plants were grown in seven locations across Illinois side by side. During the course of the field trials, the switch grass yielded 4.5 tons per acre compared to 10.5 tonnes yielded by the Miscanthus x giganteus.
Miscanthus is used by many growers in a pelleted form as a renewable, carbon neutral energy source. However, although the demand for pelleted Miscanthus is growing, the long term goal is to process the cellulose in the biomass to sugars, so that it can be used in the fermentation of ethanol and other fuels. Based on calculations by the researchers, 17 million acres of land area would be needed to produce 60 billion liters of cellulosic ethanol.
