Crop Production/Industries, Livestock Production/Industries,

Aisabokhae, Ruth A.

McCarl, Bruce A.

Zhang, Yuquan W.

English

Research Papers in Economics

5/3/2010 5/3/2010
1 1
Energy Sorghum as A Biofuel Feedstock: Effects On GHG Offsets and Sector Performance
Yuquan Zhang, Ruth A. Aisabokhae and Bruce A. McCarl
Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
Poster prepared for presentation at the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association 2010
AAEA,CAES, & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, Denver, Colorado, July 25-27, 2010
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Copyright 2010 by Yuquan Zhang, Ruth A. Aisabokhae and Bruce A. McCarl. All rights reserved. 
Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial purposes by any means, 
provided that this copyright notice appears on all such copies.5/3/2010 5/3/2010
2 2
The biofuel industry in the U.S. has experienced a rapid 
expansion during the past decade. This growth has largely 
involved the 1st generation biofuels mainly from corn and 
has contributed to higher food prices in domestic and 
international markets (Boddiger, 2007, Headey and Fan, 
2008). 
The effect on export markets has been argued as a force 
fueling overseas deforestation that can result in 
considerable carbon emissions and carbon debts 
(Searchinger et al., 2008). 
These factors undermine the legitimacy of adopting 
biofuels as a strategy for reducing greenhouse gases 
(GHG) emissions and perhaps as a strategy for enhancing 
U.S. energy security. In response, the 2nd generation 
biofuels that utilize cellulosic, non food feedstocks are 
suggested as replacements (EPA, 2010). The recent crop  
energy sorghum   has been posed as a high yielding 
energy crop that can help alleviate the induced land use 
I TRODUCTIO  I TRODUCTIO 
CO CLUSIO S & DISCUSSIO S CO CLUSIO S & DISCUSSIO S
Energy Sorghum as A Biofuel Feedstock:                                                                 Energy Sorghum as A Biofuel Feedstock:                                                                
Effects on GHG Offsets and Sector Performance Effects on GHG Offsets and Sector Performance
Yuquan Zhang Yuquan Zhang,  , Ruth A. Aisabokhae Ruth A. Aisabokhae and  and Bruce A. McCarl Bruce A. McCarl
Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX
RESULTS RESULTS
•Energy sorghum plays a significant role in cellulosic ethanol 
production under RFS2. Its competitiveness improves under higher 
yield growth rate scenarios. The introduction of carbon prices ($ per 
ton) would further increase energy sorghum’s share in the ethanol 
industry. Energy sorghum displaces switchgrass in providing 
SCE ARIO DEFI ITIO  SCE ARIO DEFI ITIO 
Crop Acreages & Export Implications Crop Acreages & Export Implications
59.5
60
60.5
61
61.5
62
62.5
63
63.5
64
64.5
Soybeans Acreage in Million 
Acres by 2020
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Switchgrass vs. Energy Sorghum 
Acreage in Million Acres by 2020
Switchgrass
EnergySorghu
m
76.8
77
77.2
77.4
77.6
77.8
78
78.2
Corn Acreage in Million 
Acres by 2020
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
2000 2010 2020 2030
Period
All Crops Export Measured by Fisher 
Index
Base
BaseE36_c0
EnergySorghum0
7E36_c0
EnergySorghum1
3E36_c0
BaseE36_c30
BaseE36_c100
106
108
110
112
114
All Crops Price Index
Base
BaseE36_c0
112
114
116
118
All Crops Price Index under 
Carbon Scenarios
BaseE36
Crop Prices & Welfare Changes Crop Prices & Welfare Changes
c100
Producer Welfare Percentage 
Changes w.r.t. Base
EnergySorghu
m13E36
c100
Consumer Welfare Percentage 
Changes w.r.t. Base
EnergySorgh
um13E36
EnergySorgh
RFS2
Yield 
Growth 
Rate 
0.7%
Yield 
Growth 
Rate 
1.3%
Carbon 
Price $0
Carbon 
Price 
$30
Carbon 
Price 
$100
Base √
BaseE36_c0 √ √
BaseE36_c30 √ √
BaseE36_c100 √ √
EnergySorghum07E36_c0 √ √ √
EnergySorghum07E36_c30 √ √ √
EnergySorghum07E36_c100 √ √ √
EnergySorghum13E36_c0 √ √ √
EnergySorghum13E36_c30 √ √ √
EnergySorghum13E36_c100 √ √ √
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energy crop that can help alleviate the induced land use 
change issue and export implications. 
This study aims to investigate the implications of various 
aspects regarding energy sorghum’s participation in the 
renewable fuel standards (RFS2) provisions of the Energy 
Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). 
EISA mandates that 36 billion gallons of renewable fuel 
to be produced by 2022 and 21 billion must be from 
cellulosic and other advanced sources.
REFERE CES REFERE CES
The agricultural component of the Forest and Agricultural 
Sector Optimization Model – Greenhouse Gases Version 
(FASOMGHG) was used for this study. FASOMGHG is a 
dynamic, nonlinear and price endogenous programming 
model for the forest and agricultural sectors in the U.S. 
plus export markets. It simulates the allocation of land 
over time to competing activities in the forestry and 
agricultural sectors, suggesting resultant consequences 
for the markets of commodities supplied by these lands 
with welfare evaluation (Adams et al., 2005). 
The use of energy sorghum as ethanol feedstock was 
simulated under a variety of scenarios. See Scenario 
Definition for more information.
METHOD METHOD
Boddiger, D. “Boosting biofuel crops could threaten food security.” The Lancet
370, no. 9591(2007): 923 – 924. 
Headey, D., and S.G. Fan. “Anatomy of a crisis: the causes and consequences of 
surging food prices.” Agricultural Economics 39, no. 3 (2008): 375 – 391. 
Searchinger, T., et al. “Use of US croplands for biofuels increases greenhouse 
gases through emissions from land use change.” Science 319, no. 5867 (2008): 
1238 – 1240. 
EPA(2010) Renewable Fuel Standard Program (RFS2) Regulatory Impact 
Analysis, ed. The United States Environmental Protection Agency. Washington, 
D.C., http://www.epa.gov/ otaq/fuels/renewablefuels/regulations.htm 
industry. Energy sorghum displaces switchgrass in providing 
cellulosic ethanol.
•Acreages of major crops are affected by RFS2. Overall, the presence 
of energy sorghum would alleviate the induced land use change issue. 
Besides, export activities are negatively influenced by RFS2. The 
introduction of carbon prices may aggravate the situation. 
•The presence of RFS2 increases agricultural commodity prices. 
Producers would see significant increases in gains and consumers 
may experience slight losses. Energy sorghum brings even more 
benefits to producers.
•Caveats: climate change effects on agriculture were not considered in 
this study. Results were obtained from FASOMGHG with 11 supply 
regions.
98
100
102
104
106
2000 2010 2020 2030
Period
BaseE36_c0
EnergySorghu
m07E36_c0
EnergySorghu
m13E36_c0
100
102
104
106
108
110
112
c0 c30 c100
BaseE36
EnergySorghu
m07E36
EnergySorghu
m13E36
0.00% 20.00% 40.00%
c0
c30 EnergySorghu
m07E36
BaseE36
 4.00%  2.00% 0.00%
c0
c30 EnergySorgh
um07E36
BaseE36
Ethanol Production & GHG Offsets Ethanol Production & GHG Offsets
4%
39%
0%
0%
7%
26%
1%
23%
0%
Breakdown of EnergySorghum07E36_c0 
by Feedstocks (2020)
CornWet
CornDry
SoftWhiteWheat
SweetSorghum
Switchgrass
EnergySorghum
Bagasse
CornResidue
SweetSorghumPulp
Percentage Changes in Feedstock Uses under Carbon Scenarios (2020)
BaseE36 EnergySorghum07E36 EnergySorghum13E36
c30 c100 c30 c100 c30 c100
CornWet 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00%
CornDry  1.11%  2.53%  0.15%  0.74%  0.11%  0.61%
SoftWhiteWheat 0.13%  100.00% 25.96%  29.13% 14.63%  44.90%
SweetSorghum 17.02% 43.49% N/A N/A N/A N/A
Switchgrass  30.79%  21.98%  36.25%  78.27%  9.96%  85.32%
EnergySorghum N/A N/A 5.39% 14.91% 2.60% 5.72%
Bagasse  0.49%  1.23%  5.08%  99.03%  4.56%  99.02%
CornResidue 18.20% 4.60% 5.32% 12.78%  1.92% 15.30%
SweetSorghumPulp 17.02% 43.49% N/A N/A N/A N/A
4%
37%
0%
2%
21% 0%
1%
28%
7%
Breakdown of BaseE36_c0 by 
Feedstocks (2020)
CornWet
CornDry
SoftWhiteWheat
SweetSorghum
Switchgrass
EnergySorghum
Bagasse
CornResidue
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Cellulosic BiofuelGHG Savings in 
Million Tons CO2e  w.r.t. Base
BaseE36_c0
EnergySorghum07
E36_c0
EnergySorghum13
E36_c0
4%
39%
0%
0%
4%
33%
1%
19%
0%
Breakdown of EnergySorghum13E36_c0 by 
Feedstocks (2020)
CornWet
CornDry
SoftWhiteWheat
SweetSorghum
Switchgrass
EnergySorghum
Bagasse
CornResidue
SweetSorghumPulp
ACK OWLEDGEME TS ACK OWLEDGEME TS
This study was funded by National Sorghum Producers 
(NSP) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 
FURTHER CO TACT FURTHER CO TACT
Yuquan Zhang, Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University, 
College Station, TX 77843 2124              Email: wolfgangzhang@neo.tamu.edu

Energy Sorghum as A Biofuel Feedstock: Effects On GHG Offsets and Sector Performance

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