Turning Miscanthus into Pellets: A New Way to Add Value with Proxipel
Miscanthus: A Crop Full of Potential
Miscanthus, also known as “elephant grass,” is a perennial grass native to Asia that is gradually becoming established in the European countryside. Planted as rhizomes, it is non-invasive. Cultivated for over twenty years in France and Switzerland, miscanthus is one of the biomass crops of great ecological, agricultural, and energy interest due to its low input requirements, rapid growth, and high yield.
- Once implanted, it remains in place for 15 to 20 years.
- It requires little fertilizer and virtually no pesticides.
- It enhances the value of soils that are sometimes marginalized or have low potential. It acts as a nitrate filter and absorbs heavy metals.
- Its dense root system helps combat erosion and runoff.
- It provides a habitat for wildlife, promoting biodiversity
- Yields typically range from 12 to 15 metric tons of dry matter per hectare per year, with peaks of 20 metric tons per hectare under favorable conditions.
Its environmental profile makes it a crop well-suited to today’s challenges: carbon sequestration, reduced use of inputs, and diversification of farm income.
The main applications are biofuels, horticultural mulch, animal bedding, and, to a lesser extent, animal feed and biomaterials
Career Opportunities
- A high-quality, renewable biofuel: When harvested dry (15% moisture content), miscanthus is an excellent fuel. Its high lower heating value (4.9 kWh/metric ton of dry matter) is comparable to that of wood pellets. Harvesting 1 hectare of miscanthus can replace the equivalent of 7,000 liters of fuel oil on average. Cost-effective, the purchase price per MWh is much more competitive than that of electricity, natural gas, or heating oil. This fuel is primarily produced locally to power multi-fuel biomass boilers specifically designed to burn agricultural products.
- A horticultural mulch: Aesthetically pleasing, biodegradable, and pH-neutral, thus preventing soil acidification. It helps retain moisture, preserve microbial life in the soil, and limit weed growth.
- Premium bedding: Very dry, the spongy texture of the stalks gives it a high absorbency—twice that of straw. Grown without fertilizers or chemicals, it is 100% natural.
- Biomaterials: Its fibrous structure and uniformity open up new possibilities in the bio-based materials industry (insulation panels, miscanthus-based concrete blocks, etc.)
- Animal feed: When incorporated into the diet of dairy cows, miscanthus improves rumination due to its abrasive properties, which help reduce acidosis and thus improve the animals’ overall health.
The Limitations of Traditional Valuation
Despite its merits, using miscanthus as is presents several challenges:
- Expensive transportation and storage: The density is very low, generally between 90 and 120 kg/m³ in bulk (silage) and 200 and 300 kg/m³ in bales (after mowing and baling), making long-distance transport uneconomical and requiring very large storage volumes. Transporting miscanthus is cost-effective over very short distances—typically less than 40 km for bulk and 80–100 km for bales. Beyond these distances, transportation costs become prohibitive, making it a product intended primarily for local projects.
- Limited markets: Horticultural mulch remains a niche product; it faces competition from other materials (wood chips, hemp, straw), and its use as a fuel source is feasible only on a local scale.
- Logistical challenges: Bulky volumes require large storage areas and involve the use of machinery to handle the biomass. For example, it takes 30 square meters to store 15 metric tons of Miscanthus.
These obstacles reduce the economic appeal of this crop for farmers, despite its environmental benefits.
Benefits of miscanthus pellets:
Pelletization is a game-changer. By compacting biomass, we obtain a homogeneous, compact, and versatile product that offers numerous advantages:
- Increase in energy density
- The pelletizing process compresses the shredded miscanthus, significantly increasing its density. The bulk density of miscanthus is approximately 120 kg/m³, whereas that of pellets can reach 650 kg/m³. This higher density means that, for the same storage volume, much more energy can be stored.
- Ease of handling and automation
- Miscanthus pellets are homogeneous and uniform in size. This characteristic makes them ideal for automatic heating systems, such as multi-fuel pellet boilers. They can be conveyed by augers or vacuum systems, which greatly facilitates boiler feeding and heating automation. Bulk miscanthus, even when chopped, can have varying cut lengths, which can complicate its transport via automated systems and cause clogs in boilers that are not designed for it.
- Reduced storage and transportation volume
- Because of their high density, pellets take up less storage space. The low density of loose, shredded miscanthus makes it bulky, requiring much larger storage areas and more frequent restocking. One metric ton of shredded miscanthus occupies a volume of about 8 to 10 cubic meters, compared to just 1.5 cubic meters for pellets. This is particularly advantageous for homeowners or small community facilities that do not have a large silo. Transportation is also more efficient, as more fuel can be loaded onto a single truck. A 30 m³ dump truck can carry 3 to 4 metric tons of raw material, compared to nearly 20 metric tons of pellets.
- Improved combustion quality
- Pelletization allows for better control of the fuel’s moisture content and density. Pellets have a lower moisture content (10% instead of 15% for miscanthus chippings), which ensures a higher calorific value and more efficient combustion. The standardized particle size of the pellets improves conveyance and reduces the risk of breakdowns.
- Other benefits of miscanthus pellets:
- Pet bedding : Miscanthus pellets can absorb three times their volume, providing optimal liquid absorption while reducing odors. Their dry, airy, and soft texture is gentle on sensitive paws. The dust-free pellets help prevent respiratory problems. They are easier to set up and clean.
- Logistical ease: storage in silos or big bags, mechanized handling, product remains stable over time.
- Standardization: a standardized format that facilitates marketing, such as wood pellets.
Proxipel: Granulation Directly at the Source
Until now, processing biomass into pellets required transporting it to a stationary pelletizing plant, which entailed high logistics costs and required large minimum volumes.
Proxipel has developed an innovative solution: Proxiflex, a mobile granulation unit.
- An industrial trailer equipped with the necessary technology.
- On-site assistance, working closely with producers.
- Production of pellets ready for use or for sale.
Direct Benefits
- Logistical savings: Instead of transporting bulky miscanthus, the machine moves to where the crop is.
- Carbon reduction: fewer trucks, fewer kilometers traveled.
- Flexibility: Suitable for both individual farms and cooperatives.
- Accessibility: No need to invest in a permanent facility or consolidate large volumes.
Promising prospects for the miscanthus industry
The pellet market is currently dominated largely by wood. But the growing demand for renewable energy and bio-based materials is opening the door to new types of biomass.
Thanks to its productivity, availability, and low-carbon profile, miscanthus is emerging as a serious candidate. Proxipel’s mobile technology overcomes logistical barriers and makes its utilization possible on various scales.
For farmers and businesses, this is an opportunity to diversify their markets, improve crop profitability, and become part of a circular economy.
Proxiflex services :
Contact us
