Energy Quantification for Sorghum Production to Obtain First and Second Ethanol Generation

Marco Antonio Reynolds Chávez, Sergio Uribe Gómez, Juan Antonio López López, Ángel Capetillo Burela, and Rigoberto Zetina Lezama

National Institute of Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research (INIFAP), Mexico

Abstract: The rapid growth of world population increases food demand and consequently a higher consumption of fossil fuel, which leads to search for alternatives form of clean energy technologies. The current situation of oil production, rising prices and market volatility, environmental pollution, climate change and the state of world reserves of this non-renewable resource, is leading some countries to develop strong programs of production of alternative fuels from energy crops, among others options. The use of energy crops has advantages in income generation, employment creation and enables an alternative to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. By contrast, production of energy crops also has negative effects in consumers particularly in food and agricultural markets. Biofuel production requires the use of resources that are generally used for food production, including land, water, labor and other electromechanical energy resources allocated in this production, of which there exists only a limited documented accurate information. Additional energy production demands may cause the prices of agricultural products present a rising trend and structure of the agricultural sector can change. Therefore, development and increased production of biofuels requires careful plans that addresses the broader impacts of production and analyze the resources required to produce crops used as food and fuel and the amount of energy required compared with the energy produced. The objective of this research was to quantify the energy demand required in traditional activities and agricultural practices for the production of sweet sorghum, used as raw material for ethanol production from first and second generation (input). Also, compared to the energy obtained as a biofuel and reported in literature (output), which will determine the feasibility and viability to develop plans for adoption and development. The results show a yield of 29.50 fresh ton ha^-1 (first generation) and 8.55 ton ha^-1 waste (second generation) with 14,696 Mjha^-1 requirements.

Key words: energy crops, energy balance, bioethanol