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A comparison of sweet sorghum and maize as first-generation bioethanol feedstocks in Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 June 2014

C. E. VLACHOS ,
N. A. MARIOLIS  and
G. N. SKARACIS
C. E. VLACHOS
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
N. A. MARIOLIS
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
G. N. SKARACIS*
Affiliation:
Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: gskaracis@aua.gr
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Summary

According to the EU 28/2009 directive, member states are mandated to substitute 10% of fossil fuels used in transportation with biofuels by the year 2020. Bioethanol production is expected to contribute significantly towards fulfilling Greece's obligations. First-generation bioethanol, produced from amylaceous and sugar crops, is the most important biofuel globally. Maize (Zea mays L.) is the main feedstock for production worldwide, while sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), although a promising raw material source, has not yet enjoyed substantial commercial exploitation due to the high seasonality of the crop. Sustainability criteria set by the EU constitute a key factor in the characterization and future use of biofuels. A 3-year study including 20 maize and 4 sweet sorghum varieties was conducted in order to compare these two crops in terms of emitted greenhouse gases (GHG) during the cultivation phase as well as regarding emission savings by substituting bioethanol for petrol/gasoline. Both crops demonstrated promising bioethanol yields reaching 5235·7 and 6443·7 l/ha/yr for maize and sweet sorghum, respectively, and showed that they could be employed towards first-generation bioethanol production in Greece. Sweet sorghum varieties produced higher bioethanol yields per hectare coupled with lower emissions during the cultivation phase and better overall GHG savings compared to maize.

Type
Crops and Soils Review
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 153 , Issue 5 , July 2015 , pp. 853 - 861
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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