Miscanthus: A Review of European Experience with a Novel Energy Crop
Miscanthus is a tall perennial grass which has been evaluated in Europe over the past 5-10 years as a new bioenergy crop. The sustained European interest in miscanthus suggests that this novel energy crop deserves serious investigation as a possible candidate biofuel crop for the US alongside switchgrass. To date, no agronomic trials or trial results for miscanthus are known from the conterminous US, so its performance under US conditions is virtually unknown. Speculating from European data, under typical agricultural practices over large areas, an average of about 8t/ha (3t/acre dry weight) may be expected at harvest time. As with most of the new bioenergy crops, there seems to be a steep ''learning curve.'' Establishment costs appear to be fairly high at present (a wide range is reported from different European countries), although these may be expected to fall as improved management techniques are developed.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Transportation Technologies (EE-30) (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 4538
- Report Number(s):
- ORNL/TM-13732; TRN: AH200114%%220
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 1 Feb 1999
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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