Sugarcane: A Promising Source of Green Carbon in the Circular Bioeconomy

Sugarcane is one of the most promising biomass resources in the developing bioeconomy. It is a source of fermentable sugars and of lignocellulosic biomass that can be converted to a variety of products. Brazil is the leading producer of sugarcane, with 734 million tons projected for 2022 and a yield of 74 tons per hectare. Sugarcane is already an important source of sugar, ethanol, and electricity through the direct burning of sugarcane bagasse, but its potential goes far beyond these products. For being easily fermentable, sugarcane juice is a promising source for other bio-based products, and the valorization of sugarcane residues in existing biorefineries has enormous potential, from the production of biogas from vinasse to the valorization of CO 2 , recovery of xylans and xylooligosaccharides, production of hydrogels, biosorbents, and 3G bioproducts. This manuscript will address the impact of sugarcane in the Brazilian bioeconomy, the status of technological development in sugarcane biorefineries, and the perspectives for sugarcane and its residues in a circular bioeconomy.