The research aimed to study and characterize, in a four-year study, thirteen pluri-annual herbaceous species for their potential bioethanol and biomethane production. The highest biomass yield was obtained with Arundo donax followed by Miscanthus x giganteus. Biomass cellulose content had median values ranging from 23.1% (Symphytum x uplandicum) to 45.4% (Lythrum salicaria), hemicellulose from 9.4% (Iris pseudacorus) to 36.8% (Glyceria maxima) and lignin from 2.6% (G. maxima) to 14.5% (Helianthus tuberosus and L. salicaria). The best ethanol and methane median yields were achieved by A. donax (3.5 Mg ha−1 and 8227 m3 ha−1, respectively) followed by M. x giganteus (3.2 Mg ha−1 and 4446 m3 ha−1, respectively). Methane transformation showed a higher energy output than ethanol with values ranging from 1 GJ ha−1 (Phalaris arundinacea) to 508 GJ ha−1 (A. donax) and from 1 GJ ha−1 (P. arundinacea) to 624 GJ ha−1 (A. donax) for ethanol and methane, respectively. Results showed that A. donax and M. x giganteus are the most interesting species for bioethanol and biomethane production. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.

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