USDA Rural Development: Ethanol from Sugar (cane & beets)

[Omaha Steve]

I was looking into ethanol from sugar beets and found this.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/pub/sep06/ethanol.htm

Ethanol from Sugar
What are the prospects for U.S. sugar co-ops?
By James Jacobs, Ag Economist
USDA Rural Development

ore than half of world ethanol production is produced from sugar and sugar byproducts, with Brazil being by far the world leader. Currently, there is no commercial production of ethanol from sugarcane or sugar beets in the United States, where 97 percent of ethanol is produced from corn.

Technologically, the process of producing ethanol from sugar is simpler than converting corn into ethanol. Converting corn into ethanol requires additional cooking and the application of enzymes, whereas the conversion of sugar requires only a yeast fermentation process. The energy requirement for converting sugar into ethanol is about half that for corn.




However, the technology and direct energy costs are but one of several factors that determine the feasibility of ethanol production. Other factors include relative production costs (including feedstocks), conversion rates, proximity to processing facilities, alternative prices and government policies, facility construction and processing costs. As other countries have shown that it can be economically feasible to produce ethanol from sugar and other new feedstocks are researched, interest in the United States in ethanol production fr om sugar has increased.

In response to the growing interest around sugar and ethanol, USDA released a study in July 2006 titled: “The Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sugar in the United States” (on the internet at: www.usda.gov/oce/). The report found that at the current market prices for ethanol, converting sugarcane, sugar beets and molasses to ethanol would be profitable. “At this summer’s unusually high price, I can conclude that it’s economically feasible to produce ethanol from sugarcane and sugar beets,” USDA Chief Economist Keith Collins said. However, there is not a clear-cut case that U.S. sugar will be commercially converted to ethanol anytime soon. This article will explore some of the economic and technological factors for the potential of sugar-based ethanol production for farmer-owned cooperatives.

U.S. sugar industry
Sugar beets are an annual crop grown in 11 states across a variety of climatic conditions, from the hot climate of the Imperial Valley of California to the colder climates of Montana and North Dakota. Sugar beet byproducts include beet pulp, which can be sold for animal feed, and molasses, which is also sold for animal feed or further processed to extract more sugar.

Sugarcane is a perennial tropical crop produced in four states: Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana and Texas. Byproducts of sugarcane processing include molasses and bagasse, the fibrous material that remains after sugar is pressed from the sugarcane. Bagasse is often burned as fuel to help power the sugarcane mills.


FULL story at link.

[PDJane]

1. Beets, maybe,

But there isn't enough water for large-scale sugar cane production.

If you really want the answer to how destruction the sugar can is, talk to Castro in Cuba. He's thoroughly versed and has had experience.

[fed-up]

2. bookmarked for my farmer boyfriend-thanks nt