studies, it was evident that the SCT can be used as a potential renewable feedstock
for the production of fermentable sugars and bioethanol.
Keywords Bioethanol, Fermentation, Hydrolysis, Pretreatment, Sugarcane tops
1 Introduction
High population growth, industrialization, and urbanization increase the energy
requirement tremendously. Nonrenewable energy sources such as coal, crude oil,
nuclear power, propane, and natural gas were utilized to meet the ever-increasing
energy demand, and these sources were found to be the major contributors of
environmental pollution [1]. To overcome these issues, utilization of the most
sustainable renewable resources offers an attractive solution to meet the world’s
primary energy demand. Biofuels are fuels which are derived from renewable energy
resources that provide energy security, strengthen the rural and agricultural economies, and emit no or less toxic gases. Bioethanol is one among the dominant global
renewable transport biofuels since it can be produced from a wide range of agricultural residues. Bioethanol produced from sucrose-containing feedstocks (sugarcane,
sugar beet, and sweet sorghum) and starch-rich feedstocks (corn, wheat, and cassava) are named as first-generation bioethanol [2]. However, it holds several limitations in producing energy from these substrates owing to its conflicts between fuel
and food. Hence, the lignocellulosic biomass has been considered as a potential
source for the biofuel production [3, 4].
Biomass is a lignocellulosic-based bio-residue that exists in water-based vegetation, forest or organic waste, crop production, and agro or food industries waste.
There are various forms of biomass resources available for the production of biofuels
and are mostly available in the form of grasses, woody plants, fruits, vegetables,
manures, and aquatic plants. These sources can be majorly classified as residues of
an agricultural crop, energy plantation, and municipal and industrial waste
[5]. Recently, lignocellulosic biomass especially non-food crops and industrial and
municipal waste acquires huge attention among researchers since it has been identified as the low-cost and sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and
other value-added products [3, 5]. Among various types of lignocellulosic biomass,
the agricultural residues or wastes such as rice husks, wheat straw, rice straw, energy
grass, corn cobs, sugarcane bagasse, dry sugarcane leaves, etc. are available abundantly. Till date, most of these underutilized agricultural residues are being burnt in
the open fields after cultivation of crops thereby creating a severe impact on the
environment with huge loss of energy [6].
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a species of tall perennial true grasses of
the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae, which has stout jointed fibrous stalks
that are rich in sugar and measure 2–6 m tall. Sucrose accumulated in the stalk
90
S. Niju and M. Swathika
for the production of fermentable sugars and bioethanol.
Keywords Bioethanol, Fermentation, Hydrolysis, Pretreatment, Sugarcane tops
1 Introduction
High population growth, industrialization, and urbanization increase the energy
requirement tremendously. Nonrenewable energy sources such as coal, crude oil,
nuclear power, propane, and natural gas were utilized to meet the ever-increasing
energy demand, and these sources were found to be the major contributors of
environmental pollution [1]. To overcome these issues, utilization of the most
sustainable renewable resources offers an attractive solution to meet the world’s
primary energy demand. Biofuels are fuels which are derived from renewable energy
resources that provide energy security, strengthen the rural and agricultural economies, and emit no or less toxic gases. Bioethanol is one among the dominant global
renewable transport biofuels since it can be produced from a wide range of agricultural residues. Bioethanol produced from sucrose-containing feedstocks (sugarcane,
sugar beet, and sweet sorghum) and starch-rich feedstocks (corn, wheat, and cassava) are named as first-generation bioethanol [2]. However, it holds several limitations in producing energy from these substrates owing to its conflicts between fuel
and food. Hence, the lignocellulosic biomass has been considered as a potential
source for the biofuel production [3, 4].
Biomass is a lignocellulosic-based bio-residue that exists in water-based vegetation, forest or organic waste, crop production, and agro or food industries waste.
There are various forms of biomass resources available for the production of biofuels
and are mostly available in the form of grasses, woody plants, fruits, vegetables,
manures, and aquatic plants. These sources can be majorly classified as residues of
an agricultural crop, energy plantation, and municipal and industrial waste
[5]. Recently, lignocellulosic biomass especially non-food crops and industrial and
municipal waste acquires huge attention among researchers since it has been identified as the low-cost and sustainable feedstock for the production of biofuels and
other value-added products [3, 5]. Among various types of lignocellulosic biomass,
the agricultural residues or wastes such as rice husks, wheat straw, rice straw, energy
grass, corn cobs, sugarcane bagasse, dry sugarcane leaves, etc. are available abundantly. Till date, most of these underutilized agricultural residues are being burnt in
the open fields after cultivation of crops thereby creating a severe impact on the
environment with huge loss of energy [6].
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a species of tall perennial true grasses of
the genus Saccharum, tribe Andropogoneae, which has stout jointed fibrous stalks
that are rich in sugar and measure 2–6 m tall. Sucrose accumulated in the stalk
90
S. Niju and M. Swathika