Types of Bioethanol
First-Generation Bioethanol:
- Feedstocks: Produced from food crops like corn, sugarcane, wheat, and barley.
- Production Process: It involves the fermentation of sugars or starches present in these crops, which are easily converted into ethanol by microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewer’s yeast).
- Applications: Used as a fuel additive (E10, E15, E85) to gasoline or as an alternative fuel in flexible fuel vehicles (FFVs).
Second-Generation Bioethanol (Cellulosic Bioethanol):
- Feedstocks: Produced from non-food plant material, such as cellulose from woody plants, grasses, or agricultural residues like straw and corn stover.
- Production Process: This process is more complex than first-generation bioethanol, requiring pretreatment to break down the cellulose into fermentable sugars before fermentation can occur.
- Applications: Used in the same way as first-generation bioethanol, with the added benefit of not competing with food crops for land.