Shanyu Chen^1* , Linglong Zhu^1* , Sijie Meng¹ , Bing Zhou⁴ , Wenjun Wang³ , Guanhai Ruan¹ , Huijuan Tang²

1 Institute of Crops and Nuclear Technology Utilization, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, China;
2 Institute of Bast Fiber Crops, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410205, China;
3 Institute of Industrial Crops,Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, 150000, China;
4 Yunnan Zhiya Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Chuxiong, 67500, China
* These authors contributed equally to this work.
Author    Correspondence author
Journal of Energy Bioscience, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 2   
Received: 15 Jan., 2025    Accepted: 26 Feb., 2025    Published: 06 Mar., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

This study explores the applications of industrial hemp in the field of bioenergy, with a focus on analyzing its potential in biomass conversion and renewable energy development. The research highlights that industrial hemp, with its high cellulose content and robust agronomic characteristics, is a promising source for bioethanol and other biochemicals. Comparative studies show that hemp yields are competitive with other bioenergy crops like switchgrass and sorghum, while requiring fewer inputs. Additionally, the economic analysis suggests that hemp can generate higher gross profits per hectare when both grains and biofuels are considered. Key technical barriers, such as insufficient fermentable sugar and ethanol concentration, have been identified, and innovative approaches for overcoming these challenges are discussed. The findings underscore the significant potential of industrial hemp as a versatile and economically viable bioenergy crop. Effective utilization of hemp biomass can enhance the cost-competitiveness of hemp products and contribute to sustainable energy solutions.

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.); Bioenergy; Biomass conversion; Bioethanol; Renewable energy; Economic analysis; Sustainable agriculture