‘UFCP 82‐1655’ (Reg. No. CV‐164; PI 673050), a high fiber and low sucrose sugarcane, also called energy cane (a complex hybrid of Saccharum sp.), was developed through the collaborative effort of the University of Florida (UF) and the USDA‐ARS, Canal Point (CP) for its potential use in cellulosic ethanol production in Florida. UFCP 82‐1655 has moderate to high resistance against smut (caused by Sporisorium scitamineum). UFCP 82‐1655 did not have any natural infestation of brown rust (caused by Puccinia melanocephala H. & P. Sydow), orange rust (caused by P. kuehnii), mosaic (caused by Sugarcane mosaic virus) and leaf scald [caused by Xanthomonas albilinenas (Ashby) Dawson]. Dry biomass yield (soluble plus insoluble dry weight) of UFCP 82‐1655 was not significantly different from ‘L 79‐1002’. Averaged across different crop cycles (plant cane, first ratoon, second ratoon, and third ratoon) at three locations in Florida (Citra, Tecan and Lykes Bros. farms), mean dry biomass yield of UFCP 82‐1655 was 32.7 Mg ha−1 compared with 30.6 Mg ha−1 for the reference check, L 79‐1002. Plant composition (% fiber) of UFCP 82‐1655 is composed of 41.7% cellulose, 27.9% hemicellulose, 22.6% lignin, 2.6% nonstructural ash, 2% structural ash, and 1.6% structural protein, which is quite similar to L 79‐1002. UFCP 82‐1655 is released to enhance genetic diversity and to improve disease resistance in energy cane.