The massive utilization of fuel eth

The massive utilization of fuel ethanol in the world
requires that its production technology be cost-effective
and environmentally sustainable. In particular, ethanol
production costs should be lowered. For current technologies
employed at commercial level, the main share in the
cost structure corresponds to the feedstocks (above 60%)
followed by the processing expenditures. In general, the
use of sucrose-containing materials as cane molasses allows
producing ethanol with the lowest costs compared to the
starchy materials (mostly grains). Particularly, although
the ethanol yield from corn is higher than that from sugar
cane, the lower annual yield of corn per cultivated hectare
makes it necessary to use larger cropping areas. On the
other hand, the lignocellulosic biomass represents the most
prospective feedstock for ethanol production. The availability
and low cost of a wide range of lignocellulosic materials
offer many possibilities for the development of
bioindustries that could support the growth of the international
biofuel market and contribute to the reduction of
greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.