Australia’s Agri Fuels tests sweet sorghum as ethanol feedstock in 18 month trial

In Australia, AgriFuels reported that it has planted a second test crop of sweet sorghum, which it projected would yield 33 percent more ethanol per acre than sugar cane. The company said it would conduct a total of three trials over an 18-month period. The first trial was interrupted by Queensland storms and yielded a “worst case” harvest according to the company.

In Australia, the federal government has refused to rule out scrapping a $40 million program providing research grants for ethanol, pending review of the impact of ethanol on world food prices.

In the weeks leading up to the federal elections last November, Labor Party leader Kevin Rudd pledged $15 million toward second-generation biofuel plants, with a goal of making next-generation ethanol commercially viable by 2017.

The ruling Coalition government had proposed a $16 million program to support cellulosic ethanol research and promote biofuels education. The plan ran into opposition from the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association over the use of food crops for biofuels feedstocks.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

Rusni Distilleries, United Bio Fuels expansions take India’s sweet sorghum ethanol capacity to 38 Mgy; the feedstock grows in popularity worldwide

In India, Rusni Distilleries is planning to double its sweet sorghum ethanol capacity to 8 Mgy in March 2008, and Ultimate Bio Fuels has announced a 19 Mgy sweet sorghum facility in Visakhapatnam. ...

India’s Tata joins sweet sorghum consortium as feedstock gains traction

In India, Tata Chemicals (TCL) said that it would join the Sweet Sorghum Ethanol Research Consortium. TCL recently began construction of a sweet sorghum-based ethanol plant in Nanded, Maharashta. By ...

Australian project tests sorghum as sugar cane rotation crop in Queensland for ethanol potential

In Australia, a sorghum-based ethanol plant is in planning in the Wide Bay region of Queensland. AgriFuels, which is testing sorghum production in the area, said that an ethanol plant would use would ...

India’s Tata Chemicals to expand in a “big way” if 2.7 Mgy sweet sorghum ethanol plant is successful; exploring jatropha

Tata Chemicals will invest $12.7 million in a 3 Mgy sweet sorghum ethanol project in Nanded, Maharashtra. The facility, which will be constructed by Praj Industries, will open in 2010. Tata said that,...

Tata will invest $185 million to expand Indian ethanol capacity

In India, Tata Chemicals will invest $185 million between now and 2012 to develop ethanol production capacity. The company announced that it would invest the first $12.7 million of that fund in a 3 Mg...

China to produce 3.8 million metric tons of ethanol from sweet sorghum stalks.

China released details of its biofuels plan, calling for production of 3.8 million metric tons of ethanol from sweet sorghum stalks. The selection of sweet sorghum stalks comes amidst increasing sc...