Adding the costs of processing, such as pressing into pellets or cubes for handling within a power plant, would bring the user's costs to about $83 per ton. One ton of switchgrass produces 17-18 GJ of energy when burned, compared with 27-30 GJ for coal; and coal prices are $55 per ton.
La sustitución del carbón con switchgrass se estima que permitirá la reducción de cerca de 1,7 ton CO2 por tonelada de switchgrass utilizada.