Technical Feasibility and Comprehensive Sustainability Assessment of Sweet Sorghum for Bioethanol Production in China

Xiaolin Yang, Meng Li, Huihui Liu, Lantian Ren and Guanghui Xie
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Xiaolin Yang: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
Meng Li: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
Huihui Liu: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
Lantian Ren: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China
Guanghui Xie: College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100193, China

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-18

Abstract: Under dual pressures of energy and environmental security, sweet sorghum is becoming one of the most promising feedstocks for biofuel production. In the present study, the technical feasibility of sweet sorghum production was assessed in eight agricultural regions in China using the Sweet Sorghum Production Technique Maturity Model. Three top typical agricultural zones were then selected for further sustainability assessment of sweet sorghum production: Northeast China (NEC), Huang-Huai-Hai Basin (HHHB) and Ganxin Region (GX). Assessment results demonstrated that NEC exhibited the best sustainable production of sweet sorghum, with a degree of technical maturity value of 0.8066, followed by HHHB and GX, with corresponding values of 0.7531 and 0.6594, respectively. Prospective economic profitability analysis indicated that bioethanol production from sweet sorghum was not feasible using current technologies in China. More efforts are needed to dramatically improve feedstock mechanization logistics while developing new bioethanol productive technology to reduce the total cost. This study provides insight and information to guide further technological development toward profitable industrialization and large-scale sweet sorghum bioethanol production.

Keywords: sweet sorghum; technical feasibility; sustainability assessment; bioethanol production potential; economic profitability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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