India is exploring sweet sorghum as an alternative feedstock for ethanol production as it prepares for the introduction of E100-compatible vehicles, ET Chemicals reported.
An amendment to the Central Motor Vehicle Act, 1989, has opened the way for 100% ethanol (E100) to be used in flexible-fuel petrol cars, the report said citing ETV Bharat.
Sweet sorghum, which can be cultivated under rain-fed and dryland conditions with relatively low chemical inputs, is emerging as a potential feedstock. The crop can be grown across several states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh.
Sweet sorghum stalks can produce around 55 litres of ethanol per metric tonne of crushed material, compared with approximately 70 litres from sugarcane, according to the report. Its leaves can also be harvested multiple times for livestock fodder without materially affecting the sugar content of the stalks.
Indian research efforts include the cultivation of varieties such as CSV 52SS and CSV 58SS. Agricultural universities and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) network have also been identified as important institutions for developing higher-sugar and pest-resistant varieties.
However, India does not yet have a dedicated national policy for sweet sorghum, the report noted.
The global sweet sorghum-based ethanol market is estimated at US$4.8 billion and is projected to reach US$9.2 billion by 2033.
