Creating a bio‐based circular economy from Louisiana sugarcane byproducts

• Published in: Agricultural & environmental letters 2024-12, Vol.9 (2), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Aita, G., Bhatnagar, D., Bruni, G. O., Deliberto, M., Eggleston, G., Finger, A., Gravois, K., Isied, M., Judice, W., Klasson, K. T., Lima, I. M., Purswell, J. L., Souliman, M., Terrell, E., Tubaña, B. S., Waguespack, H. L., Wang, J. J., White, P. M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aircraft; Animal feed; Bagasse; Biofuels; Biomass; By products; Byproducts; Carbon sequestration; Charcoal; Circular economy; Crop residues; Economics; Energy demand; Factories; Farms; Feeds; Fly ash; Fossil fuels; Harvest; Heavy metals; Nanoparticles; Outdoor air quality; Pressmud; Raw materials; Soil erosion; Sucrose; Sugar industry; Sugarcane; Syrups & sweeteners
• ISSN: 2471-9625; 2471-9625
• DOI: 10.1002/ael2.20140

Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is Louisiana's number one row crop. Growing and processing sugarcane produces significant amounts of byproducts, including bagasse, crop residue, molasses, filter‐press mud, and boiler fly ash. These products represent an important opportunity to generate value‐added and specialty products and enhance sugarcane's sustainability by facilitating a circular economy, where agricultural by‐products are reused instead of disposing them (linear economy), in order to reduce resource use and energy demand. Examples of value‐added products range from biochar, construction materials, animal feed, biofuels, nanoparticles, and fertilizer. Paramount to the success of the bio‐based circular economy is creating useful products that are sustainable, economically, and environmentally acceptable. Some potential roadblocks to creating a successful bio‐based circular economy from Louisiana's sugarcane by‐products are highlighted. Core Ideas The Louisiana sugar industry produces large amounts of biomass‐derived byproducts each year. Byproducts could be reused, recycled, or reformed instead of being discarded. Creating industries around these products boosts the circular economy. Louisiana sugarcane production and processing generate significant byproducts that form the basis for a circular economy. The graphical diplays some of the potential value‐added pathways currently being researched.