# Bioethanol: Feedstocks

Why the crop decides most of an ethanol plant's fate

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/feedstocks/

Why the crop decides most of an ethanol plant's fate What this tab covers What it is made from and what it feeds: the raw materials and energy per tonne with their share of cost (linked to the commodity table), who is low-cost and why, and the chemicals made from it.

Feedstock is 60-80% of ethanol cost, so producers sit where sugar or starch is cheap and surplus. US Midwest maize, Brazilian cane and corn, and India's subsidised rice and administered cane prices each set a different cost base. Policy decides which feedstock India may use each year.

#### Inputs per tonne

| Input | Quantity per tonne | Role | Share of cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [Mz Maize](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/) | about 2.9 t per t ethanol | starch source; main US and Indian feedstock | about 70-80% of cash cost (indicative) | maize tile; indicative |
| [Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/) | about 15-18 t cane, or 4-6 t molasses per t ethanol (indicative) | fermentable sugar; Brazil and part of India | about 70-80% (indicative) | sugar tile; indicative |
| [Ri Rice](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/rice/) | about 2.7-2.8 t per t ethanol (indicative) | starch source in India | FCI rice sold at about Rs 23 per kg (rice tile) | rice tile |
| [Gas Natural gas](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/natural_gas/) | about 7-9 GJ per t for grain plants (indicative) | cooking, distillation, drying DDGS | about 5-10% (indicative) | indicative |
| **Enzymes and yeast** | small | starch hydrolysis and fermentation | about 3-5% (indicative) | indicative |

#### Who is low-cost, and why

US dry mills and Brazilian cane mills are the lowest-cost producers because maize and cane are cheap and co-products (DDGS, bagasse power) offset cost. Indian grain distillers depend on administered prices (Rs 68.86 per litre for maize ethanol in 2026-27) and subsidised FCI rice; EU producers are higher cost and rely on mandates and duties.

#### Raw materials on the commodity table
[Su Sugar](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/sugar/)[Mz Maize](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/maize/)[Ri Rice](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/rice/)

#### What it is made into

| Product | Note |
|---|---|
| [C2H4 Ethylene](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/ethylene/) | bio-ethylene by dehydration, about 1.7 t ethanol per t |
| [bPE Bio-based polyethylene and MEG](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/) | Braskem bio-PE and India Glycols bio-MEG run on ethanol |
| [HVO Renewable diesel and SAF](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/hvo_saf/) | alcohol-to-jet is an emerging SAF route |
| [Srf Surfactants](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/surfactants/) | bio-EO ethoxylates via ethanol-based ethylene |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/index.md)
- [Energy overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/energy/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/correlation/index.md)
- [Efficiency](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/efficiency/index.md)
- [Techniques](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/techniques/index.md)
- [Resources and labour](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/resources/index.md)
- [Impact on the biosphere](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/biosphere/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/overview/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/production/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/bioethanol/links/index.md)