ABSTRACT
Environmental impacts of petroleum exploration, as well as the increasing price of oil and gas, necessitate an alternative energy solution [1]. Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising alternative source of energy because of a national abundance of renewable and sustainable feedstocks [2,3]. Biofuels produced from lignocellulosic biomass will enhance national security and stimulate the economy, create jobs, and reduce global climate change. Biomass refers to grasses, agricultural and woody residues, and wastes that can be converted to fuels, chemicals, and electricity [2]. Sugarcane is one of the most efficient crops in converting sunlight energy to chemical energy for fuel [4]. Brazil uses sugarcane as an important energy crop, converting the raw sugar into ethanol. Sugarcane is Louisiana's leading agricultural row crop, worth over $600 million in 2008 [5].
