Starch is relatively cheap and easy to convert into ethanol, so parts such as grain that are high in starch are the parts that are currently being used. Parts such as stalks and cobs are low in starch but high in cellulose and hemicellulose. The technology to convert cellulose into ethanol is currently only in the pilot or demonstration stage, and commercial feasibility is still unknown. If the cellulosic conversion technology becomes commercially feasible, future expansion of biofuel production is …
What are some of the most common crops used for biofuel production?
While the most common crops used for ethanol throughout the world are certainly corn and sugarcane, there are an increasing number of crops being investigated and used in the industry. Amongst sugar/starch crops, sugarbeet and sweet sorghum have been the focus of much attention; cellulosic crops such as switchgrass, miscanthus, corn stover, poplar, and grass are the subject of increasing interest.
Currently, rapeseed (canola) is the dominant feedstock for biodiesel in Europe, and soybeans are the dominant feedstock for biodiesel …