Sorghum: A Game-Changer for Biofuel Feedstock

As regions accelerate decarbonisation of transport and industry, sorghum is emerging as a flexible, climate‑resilient feedstock for multiple biofuel pathways — 1G ethanol from sugars and grain, 2G lignocellulosic ethanol and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and compressed biogas (CBG). Its strong water‑use efficiency, drought tolerance and multi‑output potential make sorghum a practical, scalable bioenergy crop that can be grown on marginal land with low inputs.

Why sorghum matters

– Sorghum is a C4 crop with excellent drought tolerance and water‑use efficiency, enabling production on semi‑arid and marginal lands while reducing competition for prime cropland.  

– A single crop can supply grain, sugary stalk juice and large lignocellulosic biomass harvests, supporting integrated food, feed, fuel and fibre systems and strengthening farm resilience.

Sweet sorghum: rapid, low‑CAPEX ethanol

– Sweet sorghum matures in about four months, integrates well with existing sugar infrastructure, and can extend crushing seasons. Juice yields typically support ethanol recoveries in the ~8–9% range; modern varieties have shown site‑specific ethanol yields above 3,000 L/ha under favourable management.  

– Operational benefits include lower capital requirements to adopt juice‑to‑ethanol routes and season extension for mills.

Grain and high‑biomass sorghum: scale and advanced fuels

– Grain sorghum is already used commercially for ethanol in several producing countries, demonstrating cost‑competitive, scalable first‑generation supply.  

– Dedicated high‑biomass hybrids produce substantial lignocellulosic tonnages suitable for 2G ethanol and ethanol‑to‑jet SAF feedstocks, supporting aviation decarbonisation targets when integrated with conversion technologies.

Compressed biogas and circular value chains

– High dry‑matter sorghum genotypes are promising for biogas, while bagasse and residues add value as cattle feed, compost or additional biogas feedstock. These circular uses improve whole‑farm economics and reduce waste.

European policy context

– The Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) and EU sustainability criteria increase demand for advanced, low‑indirect‑land‑use‑change biofuels and favour high‑yield, low‑input feedstocks produced on marginal land. Sorghum’s productivity, resilience and water efficiency align well with RED III goals and member‑state measures seeking compliant feedstocks for transport and aviation decarbonisation.

Industry breeding and commercialisation: Advanta Seeds

– Advances in hybrid breeding are central to unlocking sorghum’s potential. Advanta Seeds known in Europe from its premium sorghum brand Alta Seeds, has been actively developing improved sorghum hybrids tailored for higher sugar, greater biomass and stress tolerance to meet biofuel feedstock needs. Their work focuses on yield stability across diverse climates and seed quality that supports efficient agronomics and processing. 

Lessons from demonstration projects

– Demonstration initiatives have shown sweet sorghum can be integrated operationally into sugar and biofuel value chains, provided harvest‑to‑mill logistics are synchronised and local processing capacity is available to prevent quality loss. Combining sweet sorghum for 1G ethanol with high‑biomass varieties for 2G and residue‑based CBG creates resilient, circular systems that fit EU sustainability requirements.

Conclusion

Sorghum offers a versatile, climate‑resilient option for producing compliant biofuel feedstocks across multiple pathways. In the European policy landscape, supported by improved hybrids and practical lessons from field projects, sorghum can supply ethanol, SAF and biogas feedstock while minimising pressure on prime farmland. Realising scale will require continued breeding for local adaptation, investment in processing and logistics, and policy incentives that prioritise sustainable, advanced biofuels.

For more information on Advanta Seeds’ sorghum hybrids and use of sorghum as a biofuel feedstock, contact Francis Borges at francis.borges@advantaseeds.com