Evaluation of energy cane and sweet sorghum as feedstocks for conversion into fuels and chemicals

Abstract

Sweet sorghum and energy cane (high fiber cane) are potential crops for conversion into fuels and chemicals due to their low agricultural input requirements, potentially high fiber content and processing similarities with established sugarcane crops. A conceptual approach to a biorefinery producing fuels and chemicals from sweet sorghum and energy cane is proposed. The front-end of the plant processes 10,000 t/d of feedstock to extract convertible sugars by milling and concentrate them into storable syrups. The latter can be processed into gasoline, jet fuel and isoprene using proprietary technologies. The fiber remaining after extraction, called bagasse, is used in the boilers of the front-end plant to provide steam and power for entire facility and to produce additional second generation sugars by pretreatment and hydrolysis in a lignocellulosic conversion plant. Material and energy balances for the front-end plant were calculated using SugarsTM software. Results show that for the selected variety of energy cane, up to 46% of bagasse is available for further lignocellulosic conversion resulting in production of additional 33.6% of sugars. In this case, however, surplus electricity production is reduced by 86%. Calculations for sweet sorghum follow the same trend. Results show that a 13% reduction in fiber content by processing sweet sorghum instead of energy cane, reduces power export by 71% and second generation sugars by 40%.

Biomass and energy potential of Erianthus arundinaceus and Saccharum spontaneum-derived novel sugarcane hybrids in rainfed environments

“…The high fiber percentage in energy canes offers numerous advantages and opportunities for various industries, including their utilization as an excellent source of feedstock for biofuel production, applications in the pulp and paper industry, textile, and apparel industry, and as animal feed demonstrates its versatility and economic viability. Fibrous biomass can be converted into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating environmental impact [ 48 , 49 ]. Therefore, focusing on the cultivation and utilization of high-fiber energy canes further contributes to the development of greener and cleaner energy [ 50 ].…”

“…To meet the growing demand for bioenergy, many countries around the world have focused on sugarcane breeding programs for producing energy cane with high fiber content and biomass yield. In the United States, a joint program between Louisiana State University and USDA-ARS achieved a significant increase in biomass yield and 28% fiber content in an energy cane cultivar that continued to increase with each ratoon [ 14 – 16 ] and released several energy cane varieties for use as bioenergy feedstocks, including L 79-1002 [ 6 ], Ho 00-961 [ 17 ], and Ho 02-113 [ 18 ]. The Brazilian company Bio Vertis/Grain Bio has been working on developing energy cane and registered 11 energy canes under the name Vertix® [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Biomass and energy potential of Erianthus arundinaceus and Saccharum spontaneum-derived novel sugarcane hybrids in rainfed environments

“…The high ber percentage in energy canes offers numerous advantages and opportunities for various industries, including their utilization as an excellent source of feedstock for biofuel production, applications in the pulp and paper industry, textile, and apparel industry, and as animal feed demonstrates its versatility and economic viability. Fibrous biomass can be converted into biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and mitigating environmental impact [47,48]. Therefore, focusing on the cultivation and utilization of high-ber energy canes further contributes to the development of greener and cleaner energy [49].…”