Sugar-cane as energy-cane, an enormous source of bioenergy

<p>Narendra Mohan and Doctor Swain</p>

Sugar-cane as energy-cane, an enormous source of bioenergy

Narendra Mohan and Doctor Swain

National Sugar Institute, India

: J Nucl Ene Sci Power Generat Technol

Abstract

Sugar cane is being used for producing sugar worldwide. Almost 70 % of the total sugar produced in the world is cane sugar. Sugarcane, having C4 path of photosynthesis, is one of the most energy containing plant species. It may give better economy as a source of energy than that of sugar; much better during weakened price of sugar. Each ton of sugarcane plant provides by weight 30 % of SCAR (Sugar Cane Agricultural Residue, obtained after harvesting sugar cane), 56.53 % of sugarcane juice and 13.47 % of bagasse (a residue left over after extraction of juice from sugarcane). All these contents of sugarcane plant, when used as biomass for production of power/biofuels, applying efficient methods of energy use leads to an economy which provides much higher revenue than usual path of sugar production being followed conventionally by the sugar factories. Biomass Power/biofuel equivalent to almost 3.818 GJ of bioenergy may be produced from each ton of energy-cane. In addition to providing renewable, clean and green form of energy, the sugar factories can also enhance their revenue pot for self- sustainability.