IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v80y2017icp743-755.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ethanol from biomass: A comparative overview

Author

Listed:
  • Manochio, C.
  • Andrade, B.R.
  • Rodriguez, R.P.
  • Moraes, B.S.

Abstract

This work provided an overview of the ethanol production processes from sugarcane, corn and sugar beet in terms of energy indicators, carbon emissions and economic aspects. A description of the bioethanol production process for each feedstock is first presented, providing the basis for the comparative assessment. In general, best indicator values are achieved with sugarcane as feedstock, which allows the lowest requirements of fossil inputs for ethanol production. The cogeneration system of sugarcane biorefineries can provide the energy self-sufficiency to them through the burning of the main coproduct (bagasse). The coproducts of corn and sugar beet ethanol production are normally used as fertilizers or animal feed, and thus, external energy is required for those coproducts conversion usually at the expenses of fossil fuels burning. Energy consumption in the industrial phase of corn ethanol production is even higher when compared to sucrose-based ethanol, since additional steps to convert starch to glucose are required. Such higher energy use supplied by fossil sources contributes to its lowest GHG reduction potential among the biomasses, being sugarcane the most sustainable in this aspect. Average production costs for sugarcane ethanol are also more attractive: around 50–60% lower than those for corn ethanol and 20–30% lower than those for sugar beet ethanol. Although sugarcane seems to be the most advantageous biomass for ethanol production, larger subsides are provided to corn and sugar beet ethanol (especially in USA and EU), contributing to keep USA in the worldwide leadership of ethanol production, even with the less sustainable feedstock.

Suggested Citation

  • Manochio, C. & Andrade, B.R. & Rodriguez, R.P. & Moraes, B.S., 2017. "Ethanol from biomass: A comparative overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 743-755.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:80:y:2017:i:c:p:743-755
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.063
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032117307001
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.063?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Weinberg, Jana & Kaltschmitt, Martin, 2013. "Greenhouse gas emissions from first generation ethanol derived from wheat and sugar beet in Germany – Analysis and comparison of advanced by-product utilization pathways," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 131-139.
    2. Lee R. Lynd & Michael Q. Wang, 2003. "A Product‐Nonspecific Framework for Evaluating the Potential of Biomass‐Based Products to Displace Fossil Fuels," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 7(3‐4), pages 17-32, July.
    3. Zheng, Yi & Yu, Chaowei & Cheng, Yu-Shen & Lee, Christopher & Simmons, Christopher W. & Dooley, Todd M. & Zhang, Ruihong & Jenkins, Bryan M. & VanderGheynst, Jean S., 2012. "Integrating sugar beet pulp storage, hydrolysis and fermentation for fuel ethanol production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 168-175.
    4. Zabed, H. & Sahu, J.N. & Boyce, A.N. & Faruq, G., 2016. "Fuel ethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass: An overview on feedstocks and technological approaches," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 751-774.
    5. Chovau, Simon & Degrauwe, David & Van der Bruggen, Bart, 2013. "Critical analysis of techno-economic estimates for the production cost of lignocellulosic bio-ethanol," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 307-321.
    6. Moraes, Bruna S. & Zaiat, Marcelo & Bonomi, Antonio, 2015. "Anaerobic digestion of vinasse from sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil: Challenges and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 888-903.
    7. David Pimentel & Alison Marklein & Megan A. Toth & Marissa Karpoff & Gillian S. Paul & Robert McCormack & Joanna Kyriazis & Tim Krueger, 2008. "Biofuel Impacts on World Food Supply: Use of Fossil Fuel, Land and Water Resources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 1(2), pages 1-38, September.
    8. Adam J. Liska & Haishun S. Yang & Virgil R. Bremer & Terry J. Klopfenstein & Daniel T. Walters & Galen E. Erickson & Kenneth G. Cassman, 2009. "Improvements in Life Cycle Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Corn‐Ethanol," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 13(1), pages 58-74, February.
    9. Shapouri, Hosein & Salassi, Michael, 2006. "The Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sugar in the United States," Miscellaneous Publications 322769, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Costa Júnior, Manoel Pedro da & Khan, Ahmad Saeed & Sousa, Eliane Pinheiro de & Lima, Patrícia Verônica Pinheiro Sales, 2015. "53," Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural (RESR), Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural, vol. 53(2), January.
    11. John Sheehan & Andy Aden & Keith Paustian & Kendrick Killian & John Brenner & Marie Walsh & Richard Nelson, 2003. "Energy and Environmental Aspects of Using Corn Stover for Fuel Ethanol," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 7(3‐4), pages 117-146, July.
    12. Malça, João & Freire, Fausto, 2006. "Renewability and life-cycle energy efficiency of bioethanol and bio-ethyl tertiary butyl ether (bioETBE): Assessing the implications of allocation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 31(15), pages 3362-3380.
    13. Espinoza Pérez, Andrea Teresa & Camargo, Mauricio & Narváez Rincón, Paulo César & Alfaro Marchant, Miguel, 2017. "Key challenges and requirements for sustainable and industrialized biorefinery supply chain design and management: A bibliographic analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 350-359.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rita H. R. Branco & Mariana S. T. Amândio & Luísa S. Serafim & Ana M. R. B. Xavier, 2020. "Ethanol Production from Hydrolyzed Kraft Pulp by Mono- and Co-Cultures of Yeasts: The Challenge of C6 and C5 Sugars Consumption," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-15, February.
    2. Jain, Sanyam & Kumar, Shushil, 2024. "A comprehensive review of bioethanol production from diverse feedstocks: Current advancements and economic perspectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 296(C).
    3. Paola Sakai & Stavros Afionis & Nicola Favretto & Lindsay C. Stringer & Caroline Ward & Marco Sakai & Pedro Henrique Weirich Neto & Carlos Hugo Rocha & Jaime Alberti Gomes & Nátali Maidl de Souza & No, 2020. "Understanding the Implications of Alternative Bioenergy Crops to Support Smallholder Farmers in Brazil," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-22, March.
    4. Xin Zhang & Yun-Ze Li & Ao-Bing Wang & Li-Jun Gao & Hui-Juan Xu & Xian-Wen Ning, 2020. "The Development Strategies and Technology Roadmap of Bioenergy for a Typical Region: A Case Study in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region in China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, February.
    5. Khalid, Azqa & Aslam, Muhammad & Qyyum, Muhammad Abdul & Faisal, Abrar & Khan, Asim Laeeq & Ahmed, Faisal & Lee, Moonyong & Kim, Jeonghwan & Jang, Nulee & Chang, In Seop & Bazmi, Aqeel Ahmed & Yasin, , 2019. "Membrane separation processes for dehydration of bioethanol from fermentation broths: Recent developments, challenges, and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 427-443.
    6. Umanath Malaiarasan & R. Paramasivam & K. Thomas Felix & S. J. Balaji, 2020. "Simultaneous equation model for Indian sugar sector," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 22(1), pages 113-141, June.
    7. Tamás Mizik & Lajos Nagy & Zoltán Gabnai & Attila Bai, 2020. "The Major Driving Forces of the EU and US Ethanol Markets with Special Attention Paid to the COVID-19 Pandemic," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    8. Wu, Horng-Wen & Lin, Ke-Wei, 2019. "Hydrogen-rich syngas production by reforming of ethanol blended with aqueous urea using a thermodynamic analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 541-551.
    9. Bei, Lijing & Ge, Zhiwei & Ren, Changyifan & Su, Di & Ren, Zhenhua & Guo, Liejin, 2022. "Numerical study on supercritical water partial oxidation of ethanol in a continuous reactor," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    10. Terneus Páez, Carlos Francisco & Viteri Salazar, Oswaldo, 2021. "Analysis of biofuel production in Ecuador from the perspective of the water-food-energy nexus," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    11. Richard Ahorsu & Francesc Medina & Magda Constantí, 2018. "Significance and Challenges of Biomass as a Suitable Feedstock for Bioenergy and Biochemical Production: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Xiao He & Lianjun Wang & Anthony Lau, 2020. "Investigation of Steam Treatment on the Sorption Behavior of Rice Straw Pellets," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-9, October.
    13. Milão, Raquel de Freitas Dias & Carminati, Hudson B. & Araújo, Ofélia de Queiroz F. & de Medeiros, José Luiz, 2019. "Thermodynamic, financial and resource assessments of a large-scale sugarcane-biorefinery: Prelude of full bioenergy carbon capture and storage scenario," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Xie, Shaoqu & Li, Zhuoxi & Luo, Shaojuan & Zhang, Wanli, 2024. "Bioethanol to jet fuel: Current status, challenges, and perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    15. Tamás Mizik, 2021. "Economic Aspects and Sustainability of Ethanol Production—A Systematic Literature Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-25, September.
    16. Tomasz Rokicki & Marcin Ratajczak & Piotr Bórawski & Aneta Bełdycka-Bórawska & Barbara Gradziuk & Piotr Gradziuk & Agnieszka Siedlecka, 2021. "Energy Self-Subsistence of Agriculture in EU Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-22, May.
    17. Jurandir Zullo & Vânia Rosa Pereira & Andrea Koga-Vicente, 2018. "Sugar-energy sector vulnerability under CMIP5 projections in the Brazilian central-southern macro-region," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 149(3), pages 489-502, August.
    18. Rezania, Shahabaldin & Oryani, Bahareh & Cho, Jinwoo & Talaiekhozani, Amirreza & Sabbagh, Farzaneh & Hashemi, Beshare & Rupani, Parveen Fatemeh & Mohammadi, Ali Akbar, 2020. "Different pretreatment technologies of lignocellulosic biomass for bioethanol production: An overview," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    19. Lin, Cherng-Yuan & Lu, Cherie, 2021. "Development perspectives of promising lignocellulose feedstocks for production of advanced generation biofuels: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    20. Madhavi Latha Gandla & Carlos Martín & Leif J. Jönsson, 2018. "Analytical Enzymatic Saccharification of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Conversion to Biofuels and Bio-Based Chemicals," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, October.
    21. Nariê Rinke Dias de Souza & Bruno Colling Klein & Mateus Ferreira Chagas & Otavio Cavalett & Antonio Bonomi, 2021. "Towards Comparable Carbon Credits: Harmonization of LCA Models of Cellulosic Biofuels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-17, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Danilo Arcentales-Bastidas & Carla Silva & Angel D. Ramirez, 2022. "The Environmental Profile of Ethanol Derived from Sugarcane in Ecuador: A Life Cycle Assessment Including the Effect of Cogeneration of Electricity in a Sugar Industrial Complex," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Bechara, Rami & Gomez, Adrien & Saint-Antonin, Valérie & Schweitzer, Jean-Marc & Maréchal, François & Ensinas, Adriano, 2018. "Review of design works for the conversion of sugarcane to first and second-generation ethanol and electricity," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 152-164.
    3. Pradhan, Anup & Mbohwa, Charles, 2014. "Development of biofuels in South Africa: Challenges and opportunities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1089-1100.
    4. Carneiro, Maria Luisa N.M. & Pradelle, Florian & Braga, Sergio L. & Gomes, Marcos Sebastião P. & Martins, Ana Rosa F.A. & Turkovics, Franck & Pradelle, Renata N.C., 2017. "Potential of biofuels from algae: Comparison with fossil fuels, ethanol and biodiesel in Europe and Brazil through life cycle assessment (LCA)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 632-653.
    5. Ma, Yingqun & Cai, Weiwei & Liu, Yu, 2017. "An integrated engineering system for maximizing bioenergy production from food waste," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 83-89.
    6. Monirul Islam Miskat & Ashfaq Ahmed & Hemal Chowdhury & Tamal Chowdhury & Piyal Chowdhury & Sadiq M. Sait & Young-Kwon Park, 2020. "Assessing the Theoretical Prospects of Bioethanol Production as a Biofuel from Agricultural Residues in Bangladesh: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-18, October.
    7. Boies, Adam M. & McFarlane, Dane & Taff, Steven & Watts, Winthrop F. & Kittelson, David B., 2011. "Implications of local lifecycle analyses and low carbon fuel standard design on gasohol transportation fuels," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(11), pages 7191-7201.
    8. Krohn, Brian J. & Fripp, Matthias, 2012. "A life cycle assessment of biodiesel derived from the “niche filling” energy crop camelina in the USA," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 92-98.
    9. Carrillo-Nieves, Danay & Rostro Alanís, Magdalena J. & de la Cruz Quiroz, Reynaldo & Ruiz, Héctor A. & Iqbal, Hafiz M.N. & Parra-Saldívar, Roberto, 2019. "Current status and future trends of bioethanol production from agro-industrial wastes in Mexico," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 63-74.
    10. Koçar, Günnur & Civaş, Nilgün, 2013. "An overview of biofuels from energy crops: Current status and future prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 900-916.
    11. Collotta, M. & Champagne, P. & Tomasoni, G. & Alberti, M. & Busi, L. & Mabee, W., 2019. "Critical indicators of sustainability for biofuels: An analysis through a life cycle sustainabilty assessment perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    12. Demis Zelelew & Hadush Gebrehiwot & Wondimu Fikre, 2018. "Feasibility of Bioethanol Production Potential and Optimization from Selected Lignocellulosic Waste Biomass," International Journal of Environmental Sciences & Natural Resources, Juniper Publishers Inc., vol. 9(2), pages 89-95, March.
    13. Tan, R.R. & Aviso, K.B. & Ng, D.K.S., 2019. "Optimization models for financing innovations in green energy technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Khoo, Hsien H., 2015. "Review of bio-conversion pathways of lignocellulose-to-ethanol: Sustainability assessment based on land footprint projections," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 100-119.
    15. Mariana S. T. Amândio & Joana M. Pereira & Jorge M. S. Rocha & Luísa S. Serafim & Ana M. R. B. Xavier, 2022. "Getting Value from Pulp and Paper Industry Wastes: On the Way to Sustainability and Circular Economy," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-31, June.
    16. Malça, João & Coelho, António & Freire, Fausto, 2014. "Environmental life-cycle assessment of rapeseed-based biodiesel: Alternative cultivation systems and locations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 837-844.
    17. Chen, Xiaoguang, 2016. "Economic potential of biomass supply from crop residues in China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 141-149.
    18. Befort, N., 2020. "Going beyond definitions to understand tensions within the bioeconomy: The contribution of sociotechnical regimes to contested fields," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    19. Iyabo Adeola Olanrele & Adedoyin I. Lawal & Ezekiel Oseni & Ahmed Oluwatobi Adekunle & Bukola, B. Lawal-Adedoyin & Crystal O. Elleke & Racheal Ojeka-John & Henry Nweke-Love, 2020. "Accessing the Impacts of Contemporary Development in Biofuel on Agriculture, Energy and Domestic Economy: Evidence from Nigeria," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 469-478.
    20. van der Hilst, F. & Lesschen, J.P. & van Dam, J.M.C. & Riksen, M. & Verweij, P.A. & Sanders, J.P.M. & Faaij, A.P.C., 2012. "Spatial variation of environmental impacts of regional biomass chains," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 2053-2069.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:80:y:2017:i:c:p:743-755. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.