Energy plant

Bringing territories contaminated with cesium-137 and strontium-90 as a result of the Chernobyl NPP accident into economic circulation is a challenging task. Many scientists and practitioners are looking for various solutions and offering their own options.

Within the framework of the "100 Ideas for Belarus" project, the staff of the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve presented a concept for growing giant miscanthus on contaminated territories. Its other name is elephant grass. In a year, miscanthus grows up to 3–4 m in height and yields up to 25 tons of dry mass per hectare. If this volume is used as fuel, it will be equivalent to burning 10–15 thousand m3 of natural gas, or 15 tons of coal.

Once planted, miscanthus can be harvested annually for 25 years without significant capital investment. Its main advantage is the high cellulose content in its leaves and stems (from 42 to 55.5%).

Biochemical studies of giant miscanthus have shown that it is a lignocellulosic raw material that combines high biomass productivity with low environmental impact, including CO2 emission control. In fact, it is an alternative renewable energy resource.

You can learn about the unique properties of the plant, its use in the world, and other characteristics on the pages of the journal "Rodnaya pryroda".