Researchers of the famous beer company, Asahi Breweries Ltd, have developed a new strain of sugarcane that gives thrice as much ethanol than normal varieties.
Dubbed Monster Cane it stands 3 meters tall and can grow even in poor soil. This variety is expected to produce 37.4 tonnes/ha (less water) which can output 7.1 tons of sugar/4.3 kiloliters of ethanol and 24 tons of bagasse. Conventional varieties can yield 17.4 ton/ha which outputs 6.9 tons or sugar/1.4 kiloliters of ethanol and 7.8 tonnes of bagasse.
Original Article here
Led me add to my list of key things we need for the success of renewable energy:
- Develop more Efficient Processes to convert feed stock to biofuels.
- More Efficient Energy Consuming Machines.
- Higher Yielding FeedStock to be developed by the Agriculture sector.
This will be good news for sugarcane growers and the general public. The problem with sugarcane being a feedstock for ethanol production is that it will drive the price of sugar up hence the desire of most ethanol producers to look for other feed stocks. Cassava would be good, however it is also used in starch production. I was thinking of Jerusalem Artichoke as an alternative. I wonder why there isn’t that much buzz in using this as a feedstock?
Maybe the Philippines can tap the San Miguel-Asahi Breweries Connection in order to get some planting materials
Category: Bioethanol
December 22nd, 2006 at 1:55 am
[…] I hate to draw inspiration from objects of nefarious origins, but please just humor me this instance. Marijuana growers of Mexico have started planting a new hybrid of cannabis sativa that is resilient and quick maturing. The new strain is resistant to herbicide, reaches maturity within just 2 months and can be harvested year around. Compare that with the existing variety that can be harvested only twice a year and planted within a specific season only. If the drug dealers can do it, why can’t we? The biofuels industry should give emphasis on genetically engineering it’s feedstock. I don’t think there is any moral dilemma in bio engineering biofuel feedstock since it won’t be consumed by humans in the first place. Asahi has already taken the first step by developing sugarcane that produces more sugar per hectare and is resilient to typhoons. What we need aside from high yielding crop are also faster cycling crops. Which means that it can produce more than once a year resulting in higher yields by virtue of lesser throughput time […]