Agro-energy crop, Miscanthus × giganteus should be produced on marginal land in order to avoid land suitable for food production. Production of electricity in thermal power plants occupies large land areas by depositing tailings from surface mines, and depositing ash and slag. During the first year of Miscanthus × giganteus growing in containers, the concentration of heavy metals: As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn and Fe was monitored in underground and aboveground plant parts. The substrate was overburden from open pit coal mine RB Kolubara and ash from TPP Nikola Tesla B. Significant differences were found between the substrate and the investigated elements, but in all cases the accumulated heavy metals almost completely remained stable in underground organs of plant. It can be concluded that biomass of Miscanthus × giganteus could be used as energy source if it is grown on a soil moderately contaminated by heavy metals.

A perennial plant Miscanthus x giganteus has found its habitat and multiple applications in Europe, despite the fact that it originates from Asia. This study presents the potential use of this plant in new lightweight concrete materials so-called bio-concretes. The above-ground part of the plant was harvested, dried, crushed, and mixed with binders in different proportions. After casting and drying, the samples were characterized physical and mechanical properties. The results have shown that the sample with a higher content of binders while smaller miscanthus granulation and casted in molds under higher pressure exhibited the highest values of the compressive strength and density. In specific, the density was in the order of magnitude of that reported for other types of lightweight concrete with organic fillers, such as sawdust-based concrete ("Durisol"), which further justifies the use of miscanthus for these purposes.