Journal of Energy Bioscience 2025, Vol.16, No.5, 263-272 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/jeb 263 Feature Review Open Access The Potential of Sweet Potato in Bioethanol and Biogas Production Jiayao Zhou Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China Corresponding email: jiayao.zhou@cuixi.org Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2025, Vol.16, No.5 doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0025 Received: 02 Sep, 2025 Accepted: 11 Oct., 2025 Published: 24 Oct., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Zhou, 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: Zhou J.Y., 2025, The potential of sweet potato in bioethanol and biogas production, Journal of Energy Bioscience, 16(5): 263-272 (doi: 10.5376/jeb.2025.16.0025) Abstract This study explores how sweet potatoes can be used to produce bioethanol and biogas, making them clean and renewable energy sources. Sweet potatoes have a high starch content, are adaptable to various types of soil, and have weak competitiveness with food crops. These characteristics make it an excellent raw material for the production of biofuels. This study reviewed the agronomic and biochemical characteristics of sweet potatoes and how these characteristics affect fuel production and energy efficiency. In addition, this study also explored the main production methods, such as low-temperature enzymatic hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion, which are conducive to converting sweet potatoes and their waste into ethanol and methane. Several cases from China, Africa and Brazil have demonstrated how sweet potato bioenergy can function in real life. In China, rural factories use simple fermentation systems to produce ethanol. In Africa, families use sweet potato waste to produce biogas for cooking. In Brazil, large farms operate integrated biorefineries that simultaneously produce ethanol, biogas, animal feed and fertilizers. These cases demonstrate that sweet potato energy projects can increase farm income, create job opportunities and reduce pollution. This article also points out related challenges, such as the high cost of enzymes, storage issues, and limited policy support. Even so, with the improvement of breeding levels, technological innovation and the application of digital tools, the prospects for sweet potato bioenergy are very bright. The development of this industry helps reduce the use of fossil fuels and supports green and low-carbon growth. Keywords Sweet potato; bioethanol; biogas; renewable energy; sustainable development 1 Introduction The use of fossil fuels has greatly increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental pollution. To deal with climate change and achieve sustainable development, many countries are developing renewable energy. Biofuels, such as bioethanol and biogas, are key alternatives because they are renewable, carbon-neutral, and can reduce dependence on fossil fuels (Wang et al., 2013; Costa et al., 2018). Bioethanol is made by fermenting starch or cellulose materials and is widely used in transportation, helping reduce carbon monoxide and particulate emissions (Lareo et al., 2013; Wang et al., 2013). Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion of organic waste to form methane, which can be used for power and heat, while also treating agricultural waste (Wang et al., 2016). With better technology and policy support, both bioethanol and biogas are growing fast in global energy use. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) has become a strong candidate crop for biofuel production due to its high starch content, strong adaptability and high yield. It grows well in poor soil and requires almost no watering or fertilization (Lareo et al., 2013; Rizzolo et al., 2021). Unlike crops such as corn or wheat, sweet potatoes do not directly compete with the food supply. Sweet potatoes have a higher ethanol yield per unit area, and their by-products such as vines and residues can also be used to produce biogas (Wang et al., 2016; Gou et al., 2023). Optimizing enzymatic and fermentation processes can enhance conversion efficiency and save energy (Wang et al., 2013; Carvalho et al., 2023). This study reviewed the potential of sweet potatoes in the production of bioethanol and biogas, and analyzed the latest progress in terms of raw material characteristics, process optimization, energy efficiency and environmental impact. In addition, this article also explores key technologies, new methods, and the role of sweet potato biofuels
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