A survey in 2009 shows that sorghum use in ethanol in the United States is on the rise. The United Sorghum Checkoff Program or USCP says 29% of the grain sorghum grown in the United States this year will be used to produce ethanol – a total of nearly 137 million bushels¹. The USCP says that the survey results show that sorghum ethanol yields can be comparable to corn.

Some additional statistics from the survey:

* The expected demand for sorghum to produce ethanol in 2009 is 136,979,000 bushels
* Demand for sorghum will remain steady at 136 million-plus bushels
* The percentage of the US sorghum crop included in ethanol will increase only slightly in 2010, mainly because total US production was lower for the crop this year due to some crop losses.

The USCP says that the price differential has benefited the bottom line of ethanol plants using sorghum as a feedstock, and that as a result, the use of sorghum by ethanol plants is increasing demand for sorghum in areas where ethanol plants are co-located with sorghum production.

The research, conducted by Agri-Energy Solutions?, determined the amount of sorghum used to produce ethanol in the United States and studied other issues that affect the current ethanol market share of sorghum. The study provided USCP with the most current data concerning the use of sorghum to produce ethanol, any obstacles facing the increased use of sorghum in ethanol, and possible solutions to removing those obstacles.

According to this survey, ethanol plants in areas where sorghum is grown prefer to use sorghum because of its availability and favorable price differential.² Should grain prices rise as they did in 2007, 2008 and early 2009, demand for sorghum could increase and higher percentages used in ethanol production.

Sorghum for grain-based ethanol production qualifies as an advanced biofuel feedstock and fits current US policy to reduce dependence on foreign oil without impacting food supplies. Most of the sorghum currently being grown and used is by ethanol plants in the Great Plains region.

Survey methodology

For the survey, Agri-Energy Solutions divided the ethanol production industry into three target areas, focusing primarily on those plants that reside within 100 miles of the major sorghum production areas in the US. It then sent surveys to every ethanol plant in the targeted areas. One hundred percent of the ethanol plants in the primary target area for grain sorghum use responded to the survey and to subsequent telephone interviews.

External links and references:

¹ USCP study

² Data on the claimed price differential against corn needs to be demonstrated and added to this page to make it more authoritative

Agri-Energy Solutions Inc