Energy balance for ethyl alcohol production from crops

Journal Article · Fri Sep 08 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Science; (United States)

OSTI ID:6494035

Gomes Da Silva, J ^[1]; Serra, G E; Moreira, J R; Concalves, J C; Goldemberg, J

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1. Universidade Estadual Paulista, Sao Paulo, Brazil

Energy requirements to produce ethyl alcohol from three different crops in Brazil (sugar cane, cassava, and sweet sorghum) were calculated. Figures are presented for the agricultural and industrial phases. The industrial phase is always more energy-intensive, consuming from 60 to 75% of the total energy. Sugar cane is the more efficient crop for ethyl alcohol production, followed by sweet sorghum and cassava from a net energy viewpoint. The utilization of sweet sorghum stems might increase the total energy gain from this crop to almost the same level as sugar cane. Cassava has a lower energy gain at the present state of agriculture in Brazil.

• OSTI ID: 6494035
• Journal Information: Science; (United States), Journal Name: Science; (United States) Vol. 201:4359; ISSN SCIEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

090220* -- Alcohol Fuels-- Preparation-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
ALCOHOL FUELS
ALCOHOLS
BIOCONVERSION
BIOSYNTHESIS
BRAZIL
CASSAVA
CEREALS
ENERGY ANALYSIS
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
FUELS
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LATIN AMERICA
NET ENERGY
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SORGHUM
SOUTH AMERICA
SUGAR CANE
SYNTHESIS
SYNTHETIC FUELS