Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 117-127 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 117 Research Article Open Access Feasibility Study of Using Sorghum Biomass for Fuel Ethanol Production MayH.Wang Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206, Hainan, China Corresponding email: may.h.wang@hibio.org Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2025, Vol.16, No.3 doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0012 Received: 02Apr., 2025 Accepted: 06 May, 2025 Published: 19 May, 2025 Copyright © 2025 Wang, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Wang M.H., 2025, Feasibility study of using sorghum biomass for fuel ethanol production, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 16(3): 117-127 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0012) Abstract This study looked at whether sorghum can be used to make fuel ethanol. We tried to analyze it from several aspects, such as the ethanol yield of different sorghum varieties, their chemical composition, and how to treat them best. The study found that sorghum has a high yield, is drought-resistant, and can adapt to different environments. This makes it suitable for planting in many places and making bioethanol. In addition to the main part of the sorghum, its field waste, such as straw, and by-products, such as sweet sorghum juice and residue, can also be used to ferment ethanol. We tried several treatment methods, including pretreatment with organic solvents, alkali, acid, or enzymes. These methods can release more sugar and increase ethanol production. Some methods can also use biodiesel by-products, which can save a lot of costs. If all these field residues and by-products are used, not only will they not compete with food for land, but they will also reduce waste and be more environmentally friendly. In this way, not only can we develop bioenergy, but we can also help protect the environment and achieve a "win-win" situation. We also did an economic analysis. The results show that if the processing technology and enzyme costs can be optimized, the price of ethanol made from sorghum may be similar to that of gasoline. In this case, it has a good chance of being promoted for industrial use. Keywords Sorghum biomass; Fuel ethanol; Pretreatment; Yield assessment; Sustainable energyy 1 Introduction Nowadays, the world is in greater and greater demand for renewable energy. In order to cope with climate change and energy shortage, everyone is trying to find some environmentally friendly energy that can replace oil. Bioethanol is one of the popular choices because it can reduce pollution and help rural economic development. However, most bioethanol is now made from food crops such as corn and sugarcane. This brings up a problem: if food is used as fuel, it may conflict with people's need to eat. Therefore, it is particularly important to find a raw material that is not a food. This review mainly wants to see whether sorghum can be a suitable raw material for bioethanol. We will analyze it from multiple aspects, such as its application prospects, technical difficulties, and its possibilities in this industry. As people increasingly need clean energy, bioethanol has become an important option to replace traditional fuels because of its environmental protection and renewable nature (Prasad et al., 2007; van Rijn et al., 2018). But the problem is that the raw materials used now are mostly corn and sugarcane, which will compete with food production for land, and the price will also fluctuate. Therefore, scientists began to look for new materials to make ethanol. Sorghum is a good choice. It is drought-resistant, high-yielding, and highly adaptable. It can be grown in marginal lands and places where it is difficult to grow crops. It is also rich in cellulose and sugar, making it a good material for ethanol (Ekefre et al., 2017; Rivera-Burgos et al., 2019; Batog et al., 2020). Although many people have begun to study the possibility of sorghum for ethanol, research in this area is not comprehensive enough. In particular, more can be done in terms of different climates, variety selection, and how to use waste materials (Sathesh-Prabu and Murugesan, 2011; Boboescu et al., 2019; Batog et al., 2020). This study will first introduce several types of sorghum biomass and their basic characteristics. Next, we will talk about the new progress in sorghum pretreatment methods and saccharification technology. We will also look at how different sorghum varieties and planting methods affect ethanol production. Then, we will talk about the use cases of sorghum in different climate conditions and its economic feasibility. Finally, we will summarize the advantages, difficulties and future development directions of sorghum in fuel ethanol production.
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