RESEARCH STARTER

Wheat ethanol

Wheat ethanol is a form of bioethanol produced primarily from wheat grain, and it serves as a renewable transportation fuel. In Europe, wheat is the most prevalent cereal utilized for bioethanol production, with the European Union (EU) witnessing a significant rise in its use for fuel applications over the past two decades. The production process involves several steps, including milling, fermentation, and distillation, ultimately yielding high-purity ethanol suitable for blending with gasoline or diesel. Wheat-based ethanol production not only contributes to energy security but also supports rural development through agriculture.

In terms of global production, the United States and Brazil are the leading bioethanol producers, with the EU also making considerable contributions, especially through starch and molasses from sugar beets. While Germany and France are the main consumers within the EU, there is a notable reliance on imports to meet demand, particularly from Brazil. The environmental impact of wheat ethanol production is a complex issue, influenced by factors such as fertilizer usage and land-use change, which can significantly affect greenhouse gas emissions. Despite these challenges, the ongoing push for renewable energy sources highlights the potential benefits of wheat ethanol in addressing energy needs while promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Full Article

Summary: Bioethanol used as transportation fuel is produced from several feedstocks. Wheat is the most common cereal used for bioethanol production in Europe.

Bioethanol is an alcohol produced from the biodegradable fraction of products and residues from agriculture and forestry. In 2024, the United States was the world’s largest bioethanol producer, having produced 16 billion gallons, primarily from corn, according to Statista. The United States was followed by Brazil, which produced more than 8 billion gallons, primarily from sugarcane. In the European Union (EU), starch and molasses from sugar beets are the main feedstocks. There has been a sharp increase in starch-based ethanol, with wheat as the major feedstock. The use of wheat-based ethanol is expected to increase substantially in the 2020s as India announced that it intended to ramp up to a 20 percent fuel blend.

Production of Bioethanol From Wheat

Wheat cultivation includes several steps, namely soil preparation (plowing), fertilization, sowing, weed control, and harvesting. After transportation to the processing plant, the raw material is washed to remove any debris, such as soil and stones. The grain goes through a grinding process in a hammer mill to increase the grain surface and maximize the efficiency of the subsequent steps. The milled grain is then mixed with preheated water and liquefaction enzymes, forming a mash and releasing the starch from the cell material. After cooling down, a mixture of amylase enzymes is added to break down the starch into simple sugars (saccharification). Sugars are fermented to ethanol using yeasts, in a process that releases carbon dioxide and yields a solution of 8 to 10 percent milligrams per milliliter alcohol. This alcohol concentration is increased up to 95–96 v/v percent by distillation. If ethanol is to be mixed with gasoline for transportation purposes, further dehydration of 99.7 v/v percent or more is required, which is usually achieved through molecular sieve technology. On average, 1 liter of ethanol is produced for each 2.84 kilograms of wheat processed. After fermentation and distillation, the leftover residue (whole stillage) is pressed and dried to form distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Approximately 350 kilograms of DDGS are produced per ton of wheat. DDGS has both high protein and high fiber content and can be sold as feed for ruminants.

Several factors affect the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of ethanol production from wheat: production and application of fertilizers and pesticides, fossil energy inputs, soil emissions due to land use, and (direct and indirect) land-use change (LUC). Some (wheat-based) ethanol studies have shown that the GHG balance over the life cycle (that is, from wheat cultivation to delivery of bioethanol to the end user) may vary significantly, and if lands with high stocks of carbon are converted to biofuel production, the total GHG balance may become critical. This aspect must be balanced against the recognized advantages of biofuels promotion, namely security of energy supply and rural development.


Bibliography

"Global Ethanol Production by Country or Region." Renewable Fuels Association, Jan. 2024, afdc.energy.gov/data/10331. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Ingledew, W. M. The Alcohol Textbook: A Reference for the Beverage, Fuel, and Industrial Alcohol Industries. 5th ed. Nottingham, UK: Nottingham University Press, 2009.

Malça J., and F. Freire. “Renewability and Life-Cycle Energy Efficiency of Bioethanol and Bio-Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (bioETBE): Assessing the Implications of Allocation.” Energy 31, no. 15 (2006).

Pandey, Samyak. "Interview: Grain-Based Ethanol Supply Aims to Double as India Targets 20% Blending Goal." S&P Global, 10 June 2024, www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/agriculture/061024-interview-grain-based-ethanol-supply-aims-to-double-as-india-targets-20-blending-goal. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

SenterNovem. Bioethanol in Europe: Overview and Comparison of Production Processes. Rapport 2GAVE0601. Utrecht, Netherlands: SenterNovem, 2006.

Smith, T. C., D. R. Kindred, J. M. Brosnan, R. M. Weightman, M. Sheperd, and R. Bradley. “Wheat as a Feedstock for Alcohol Production.” Research Review, no. 61 (December 2006).

Walker, G. M. Bioethanol: Science and Technology of Fuel Alcohol. Holstebro, Denmark: Ventus, 2010.

Full Article

Summary: Bioethanol used as transportation fuel is produced from several feedstocks. Wheat is the most common cereal used for bioethanol production in Europe.

Bioethanol is an alcohol produced from the biodegradable fraction of products and residues from agriculture and forestry. In 2024, the United States was the world’s largest bioethanol producer, having produced 16 billion gallons, primarily from corn, according to Statista. The United States was followed by Brazil, which produced more than 8 billion gallons, primarily from sugarcane. In the European Union (EU), starch and molasses from sugar beets are the main feedstocks. There has been a sharp increase in starch-based ethanol, with wheat as the major feedstock. The use of wheat-based ethanol is expected to increase substantially in the 2020s as India announced that it intended to ramp up to a 20 percent fuel blend.

Production of Bioethanol From Wheat

Wheat cultivation includes several steps, namely soil preparation (plowing), fertilization, sowing, weed control, and harvesting. After transportation to the processing plant, the raw material is washed to remove any debris, such as soil and stones. The grain goes through a grinding process in a hammer mill to increase the grain surface and maximize the efficiency of the subsequent steps. The milled grain is then mixed with preheated water and liquefaction enzymes, forming a mash and releasing the starch from the cell material. After cooling down, a mixture of amylase enzymes is added to break down the starch into simple sugars (saccharification). Sugars are fermented to ethanol using yeasts, in a process that releases carbon dioxide and yields a solution of 8 to 10 percent milligrams per milliliter alcohol. This alcohol concentration is increased up to 95–96 v/v percent by distillation. If ethanol is to be mixed with gasoline for transportation purposes, further dehydration of 99.7 v/v percent or more is required, which is usually achieved through molecular sieve technology. On average, 1 liter of ethanol is produced for each 2.84 kilograms of wheat processed. After fermentation and distillation, the leftover residue (whole stillage) is pressed and dried to form distiller’s dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Approximately 350 kilograms of DDGS are produced per ton of wheat. DDGS has both high protein and high fiber content and can be sold as feed for ruminants.

Several factors affect the energy and greenhouse gas (GHG) balance of ethanol production from wheat: production and application of fertilizers and pesticides, fossil energy inputs, soil emissions due to land use, and (direct and indirect) land-use change (LUC). Some (wheat-based) ethanol studies have shown that the GHG balance over the life cycle (that is, from wheat cultivation to delivery of bioethanol to the end user) may vary significantly, and if lands with high stocks of carbon are converted to biofuel production, the total GHG balance may become critical. This aspect must be balanced against the recognized advantages of biofuels promotion, namely security of energy supply and rural development.


Bibliography

"Global Ethanol Production by Country or Region." Renewable Fuels Association, Jan. 2024, afdc.energy.gov/data/10331. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

Ingledew, W. M. The Alcohol Textbook: A Reference for the Beverage, Fuel, and Industrial Alcohol Industries. 5th ed. Nottingham, UK: Nottingham University Press, 2009.

Malça J., and F. Freire. “Renewability and Life-Cycle Energy Efficiency of Bioethanol and Bio-Ethyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (bioETBE): Assessing the Implications of Allocation.” Energy 31, no. 15 (2006).

Pandey, Samyak. "Interview: Grain-Based Ethanol Supply Aims to Double as India Targets 20% Blending Goal." S&P Global, 10 June 2024, www.spglobal.com/commodityinsights/en/market-insights/latest-news/agriculture/061024-interview-grain-based-ethanol-supply-aims-to-double-as-india-targets-20-blending-goal. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

SenterNovem. Bioethanol in Europe: Overview and Comparison of Production Processes. Rapport 2GAVE0601. Utrecht, Netherlands: SenterNovem, 2006.

Smith, T. C., D. R. Kindred, J. M. Brosnan, R. M. Weightman, M. Sheperd, and R. Bradley. “Wheat as a Feedstock for Alcohol Production.” Research Review, no. 61 (December 2006).

Walker, G. M. Bioethanol: Science and Technology of Fuel Alcohol. Holstebro, Denmark: Ventus, 2010.