From Sweet Sorghum to Sesquiterpene and Bio-Aviation Fuel: Production and EIA Analysis

The worldwide aviation industry is booming, but global aviation fuel emissions are increasing. The production of bio-aviation fuel is a worldwide hot topic. Sorghum, the world’s fifth most important cereal crop after rice, wheat, maize, and barley, is a potential source of carbohydrates, and a potential candidate for the production of bio-aviation fuel after fermentation, intermediate (sesquiterpene) upgrading and polishing. The sweet sorghum agro-cycle reveals a yield of 60 t/ha of carbohydrate-rich straw with a carbohydrate content of 11–21%. All input materials and energy uses are determined. Mostly fermentation CO2, fertilizers and transportation fuels contribute to the environmental impact. Full mass and energy balances are established through Aspen Plus V12 simulation. The EIA of the sorghum to “on flight” bio-aviation fuel is then assessed with CH4, NOx, SOx and CO (from fuel combustion) contributing for over 80%. A sensitivity analysis confirms these high impacts, with the transportation distance mostly as dominant factor.