One approach to effectively control the rapid expansion of water hyacinth is to use it as a feedstock in producing valuable goods. While it is technically feasible to produce bioethanol using water hyacinth, the economic feasibility of this valorization is yet unknown. This article conducted an ex-ante cost-benefit analysis of the production of bioethanol from water hyacinth. The results show that in comparison with the active control approach of collection and landfill, it is economically feasible to produce bioethanol from the collected biomass. In addition to its contribution to energy diversification, the production of bioethanol using water hyacinth as a feedstock cannot only control the rapid expansion of water hyacinth but can also contribute to carbon emissions reduction and water quality improvement. While the production cost of bioethanol is high, environmental values play an important role in the economic justification of the production. The coupled use of water hyacinth as a phytoremediation plant and bioethanol feedstock is a potential response to green development strategies.Sustainability 2019, 11, 905 2 of 21 compete with grain for land, with consumers for food, and with livestock for feeds, and should not harm the environment [4]. It highlighted that food security should be the priority whenever there is a conflict between food and bioethanol supplies.Unlike first-generation biofuel which is food-based, cellulosic ethanol, or second-generation biofuel, is promoted because it is produced from agricultural waste and non-food crops, such as straw, grass and wood; thus, it will not result in food security issues, and it has great production potential because there is an enormous amount of cellulosic resources available [5], among which water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is one of the promising candidates [6,7].Despite its high water content, which complicates the process of harvesting and processing, water hyacinth is a promising feedstock for bioenergy production because it is permanent, plentifully available, biodegradable and is a non-crop plant that has high cellulose and hemicellulose content [7]. In particular, unlike other bioethanol feedstock, such as switchgrass, miscanthus and other planted bioenergy crops, water hyacinth will not compete with agricultural crops for land use. It has potential for reducing the production cost of bioethanol when used as a feedstock because it is an abundant resource, but it is critical to use suitable organisms for fermentation to improve the yield of bioethanol [7].The use of water hyacinth to produce bioethanol is also a potential approach in controlling the rapid expansion of water hyacinth and improving water quality. Water hyacinth is a well-known noxious and problematic weed because of its fast proliferation, wide spread [7,8] and its detrimental effects on the aquatic system. Although mechanical, chemical and biological approaches have been proposed to control its rapid expansion, the effects are usually temporary and costly because water hyacinth i...