Source-Sink Relationship of Sugarcane Energy Production at the Sugar Mills

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is an important source of sugar, biofuels and bioenergy, helping in meeting requirements of the world from food energy to fuel energy. This chapter covers, in brief, the sugar milling processes from sugarcane crushing to sugar manufacturing, by-products release, biofuels production, and bioelectricity cogeneration. Technological aspects of various forms of bioenergy production including bioethanol, electricity, and biogas, at the sugar industry, are detailed in this chapter. Industrial process and mechanism of molasses fermentation into bioethanol have been described; additionally, the chapter illustrates the approaches for second-generation ethanol production and pretreatment methods for the same. Moreover, the chapter also narrates cogeneration of electricity from sugarcane and cogeneration efficiency enhancement systems like Centrale Thermique de Belle Vue (CTBV) and condensation-extraction steam turbine (CEST). The use of other resources of sugarcane, viz., trash and straw, for obtaining the energy year-round has also been described. Finally, a brief on production of biogas from sugarcane pressmud, bagasse, and vinasse has been presented.