Challenges in bioethanol production from intermediate and by-products of the sugar beet processing in the Republic of Serbia

Abstract

The bioethanol market is large and has a constant upward trend, which requires the improvement of its production. In the Republic of Serbia, bioethanol is produced using sugar beet molasses-based media. Taking into account a few disadvantages of molasses as raw material, as well as a decreasing trend in its use in Serbia, it is necessary to consider other possibilities provided by the sugar beet processing technology. Therefore, the cogeneration of sugar and bioethanol may serve as an alternative and viable solution. In this paper, the data on the characteristics of intermediate and by-products of sugar beet processing, used as raw materials for bioethanol production, are summarized. The criteria for their selection are given, and the locations of their generation are mapped. Furthermore, the current bioethanol production capacities in the Republic of Serbia are presented, and the possibility of the cogeneration of sugar and bioethanol in domestic factories is considered.

Keywords

• bioethanol
• sugar beet processing
• alternative raw materials
• sustainable development