Sugarcane-based Biofuels and Bioproducts

Sugarcane has garnered much interest for its potential as a viable renewable energy crop. While the use of sugar juice for ethanol production has been in practice for years, a new focus on using the fibrous co-product known as bagasse for producing renewable fuels and bio-based chemicals is growing in interest. The success of these efforts, and the development of new varieties of energy canes, could greatly increase the use of sugarcane and sugarcane biomass for fuels while enhancing industry sustainability and competitiveness.

Sugarcane-Based Biofuels and Bioproducts examines the development of a suite of established and developing biofuels and other renewable products derived from sugarcane and sugarcane-based co-products, such as bagasse. Chapters provide broad-ranging coverage of sugarcane biology, biotechnological advances, and breakthroughs in production and processing techniques.
This text brings together essential information regarding the development and utilization of new fuels and bioproducts derived from sugarcane. Authored by experts in the field, Sugarcane-Based Biofuels and Bioproducts is an invaluable resource for researchers studying biofuels, sugarcane, and plant biotechnology as well as sugar and biofuels industry personnel.

Autorentext

Ian O'Hara is Associate Professor of Process Engineering with the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia

Sagadevan Mundree is Professor and Director of the Centre for Tropical Crops and Biocommodities at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia

Inhalt

Preface, xiii

List of contributors, xv

Part I Sugarcane for biofuels and bioproducts

1 The sugarcane industry, biofuel, and bioproduct perspectives, 3
Ian M. O'Hara

1.1 Sugarcane a global bioindustrial crop, 3

1.2 The global sugarcane industry, 5

1.2.1 Sugarcane, 5

1.2.2 Sugarcane harvesting and transport, 6

1.2.3 The raw sugar production process, 7

1.2.4 The refined sugar production process, 9

1.2.5 The sugar market, 11

1.3 Why biofuels and bioproducts?, 11

1.3.1 The search for new revenue, 11

1.3.2 Sugar, ethanol, and cogeneration, 12

1.3.3 Fiber-based biofuels and bioproducts, 13

1.3.4 Climate change and renewable products, 13

1.3.5 New industries for sustainable regional communities, 14

1.4 Sugarcane biorefinery perspectives, 14

1.4.1 The sugarcane biorefinery, 14

1.4.2 The sustainability imperative, 17

1.4.3 Future developments in biotechnology for sugarcane biorefineries, 18

1.5 Concluding remarks, 19

References, 20

2 Sugarcane biotechnology: tapping unlimited potential, 23
Sudipta S. Das Bhowmik, Anthony K. Brinin, Brett Williams and Sagadevan G. Mundree

2.1 Introduction, 23

2.2 History of sugarcane, sugarcane genetics, wild varieties, 24

2.3 Uses of sugarcane, 25

2.3.1 Food and beverages, 25

2.3.2 Biofuels and bioenergy, 26

2.3.3 Fibers and textiles, 26

2.3.4 Value-added products, 26

2.4 Sugarcane biotechnology, 26

2.4.1 Limitations of sugarcane biotechnology, 29

2.5 Improvement of sugarcane breeding versus genetic modification through biotechnology, 29

2.6 Genetic modification of sugarcane, 30

2.7 Paucity of high-quality promoters, 32

2.8 Opportunities for GM-improved sugarcane, 32

2.9 Improved stress tolerance and disease resistance, 35

2.9.1 Stress tolerance, 35

2.9.2 Drought, 35

2.9.3 Salinity, 35

2.10 Naturally resilient plants as a novel genetic source for stress tolerance, 36

2.11 Disease resistance, 37

2.12 Industrial application of sugarcane, 39

2.13 How will climate change and expanded growing-region affect vulnerability to pathogens?, 40

2.14 Conclusion and perspectives, 41

References, 42

Part II Biofuels and bioproducts

3 Fermentation of sugarcane juice and molasses for ethanol production, 55
Cecília Laluce, Guilherme R. Leite, Bruna Z. Zavitoski, Thamires T. Zamai

and Ricardo Ventura

3.1 Introduction, 55

3.2 Natural microbial ecology, 56

3.2.1 Saccharomyces yeasts, 56

3.2.2 Wild yeasts, 58

3.2.3 Bacterial contaminants, 58

3.3 Yeast identification, 60

3.3.1 Identification of genetic and physiological phenotypes, 60

3.3.2 Molecular identification methods, 61

3.4 Cell surface and cellcell interactions, 62

3.4.1 Dissolved air flotation, 62

3.4.2 Flocculation, 64

3.4.3 Biofilms, 65

3.5 Sugarcane juice and bagasse, 65

3.5.1 Harvesting of the sugarcane, 65

3.5.2 Reception and cleaning of sugarcane, 66

3.5.3 Juice extraction, 66

3.5.4 Juice clarification, 66

3.5.5 Juice concentration, 66

3.5.6 Quality of clarified juice, 67

3.6 Fermentation of juice and molasses, 67

3.6.1 Starters yeasts, 67

3.6.2 Raw materials used in fermentation, 67

3.6.3 The fermentation, 68

3.7 Cogeneration of energy from bagasse, 68

3.8 Bioreactors and processes, 69

3.8.1 Batch fermentation, 70

3.8.2 Fed-batch fermentation, 70

3.8.3 Multistage Stage Continuous Fermentation (MSCF) system, 72

3.9 Control of microbial infections, 73 3.10 Monitoring and co...