Developing sugarcane lignocellulosic biorefineries: opportunities and challenges. Issue 3 (May 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chong, Barrie Fong; O'Shea, Michael G
• Is Part Of: Biofuels. Volume 3:Issue 3(2012)
• Page Start: 307
• Page End: 319
• Publication Date: 2012-05
• Subjects: Biomass energy -- Periodicals; 662.8805
• DOI: 10.4155/bfs.12.13
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1759-7269

Abstract

It is widely acknowledged that the world must decrease its overall energy reliance on fossil fuels by embracing technologies for large-scale production of renewable energy. Part of this change is due to concerns about the impact of climate change, but it is also recognized that global oil and fossil fuel supplies are finite. The production of first-generation ethanol as a biofuel to reduce oil inputs has been successful on a large scale using sugarcane juice and/or molasses (Brazil) and corn (USA). The advent of second-generation biofuels is impending as lignocellulosic processing technology improves and costs decrease. Sugarcane and related sugar crops such as sweet sorghum will be leading candidates to drive this growth in the future, as they possess considerable advantages over other broad acre cropping systems. Sugarcane biorefineries will be realized by extracting maximum value from sugarcane waste and cultivated energycane.