Table 1.

1 Ethanol production steps from Feedstock and Conversion T echnique

Feedstock Feedstock Harvest Feedstock conversion Process Sugar conversion Co-products
type technique to sugar heat to Alcohol

Sugar crops cane Cane stalk cut, Sugars extracted Primarily Fermentation and Heat, electricity,
mostly taken through bagasse From crushed distillation of alcohol molasses
from field crushing, soaking, Cane (bagasse)
chemical treatment
sugar beet Beets harvested, Sugar extraction Typically from Fermentation Animal feed,
foliage left on the field fossil fuel and distillation fertilizer
of alcohol
Starch wheat Starchy parts of Starch separation, Typically from Fermentation Animal feed
crops Plants harvested; milling, conversion to sugars fossil fuel and distillation (e.g. distillers
stalks mostly via enzyme application of alcohol dried grains)
left in the field
corn Starchy parts of Starch separation, Typically from Fermentation Animal feed
plants harvested; milling, conversion to fossil fuel and distillation of alcohol (e.g. distillers
stalks mostly left in sugars via enzyme dried grains),
the field application sweetener

potatoes Potatoes Washing, mashing, Typically from Fermentation Animal feed,

harvested, foliage left cooking, starch separation, fossil fuel and distillation industrial use
on the field conversion to sugars of alcohol
via enzyme application
Cellulosic trees Full plant Cellulose conversion to sugar Lignin and excess Fermentation Heat, electricity,
crops harvested via scarification cellulose and distillation animal feed, bio
(above ground (enzymatic hydrolysis) of alcohol plastics, etc.

grasses Grasses cut Cellulose conversion Lignin and excess Fermentation Heat, electricity,
with to sugar via cellulose and distillation animal feed, bio
regrowth scarification of alcohol plastics,
(enzymatic hydrolysis) etc.

Waste Crop Collected, Cellulose conversion Lignin and excess Fermentation Heat,
biomass residues, separated, to sugar via cellulose and distillation of alcohol electricity,
forestry cleaned to scarification animal feed, bio
waste, extract material (enzymatic hydrolysis) plastics, etc.
municipal high in cellulose
waste, mill
waste