Sugarcane and other crops as fuel feedstocks

Journal Article · Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Sugar J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6920566

Irvine, J E

The use of sugarcane as a feedstock for fuel alcohol production in Brazil, and in Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Panama stimulated tremendous interest in the potential of agricultural crops for renewable energy sources. The cost of the feedstock is important. Corn, the current major agricultural feedstock in US fuel alcohol production, costs 60 to 80% of the selling price of the alcohol produced from it. Production costs for sugarcane and sugarbeets are higher than for corn. Sugarcane and sugarbeets, yield more fermentable carbohydrates per acre than any other crop. Sugarcane has the distinct advantage of containing a large amount of fiber in the harvested portion. The feedstock cost of sugarcane can be reduced by producing more cane per acre. Sweet sorghum has been discussed as a fuel crop. Cassana, the tapioca source, is thought to be a fuel crop of major potential. Feedstock cost can also be reduced through management decisions that reduce costly practices. Cultivation and fertilizer costs can be reduced. The operating cost of the processing plant is affected by the choice of crops grown for feedstock, both by their cost and by availability. (DP)

• OSTI ID: 6920566
• Journal Information: Sugar J.; (United States), Vol. 43:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
ETHANOL
BIOSYNTHESIS
SUGAR BEETS
BIOCONVERSION
SUGAR CANE
BIOMASS
CASSAVA
COST
ENERGY SOURCES
MAIZE
RENEWABLE RESOURCES
SORGHUM
ALCOHOLS
BEETS
CEREALS
FOOD
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RESOURCES
SYNTHESIS
VEGETABLES
090222* - Alcohol Fuels- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass- (1976-1989)
140504 - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)