The most common plant used for biofuel

Corn (maize) is the most common plant used for biofuel, primarily to produce fuel ethanol—largely because the United States is the world’s largest ethanol producer. Sugarcane is the dominant biofuel crop in Brazil and a close second globally, but corn-based ethanol leads overall due to its scale and policy support in North America. This article explains why corn tops the list, how regional patterns differ, and what other feedstocks are shaping the biofuel landscape.

Why corn leads globally

Several economic, policy, and logistical factors have made corn the leading biofuel crop worldwide, particularly for conventional ethanol. The following points outline the main reasons behind corn’s dominance.

• Scale and infrastructure: The U.S. has a mature corn supply chain, dense Midwest processing capacity, and established blending/distribution networks.
• Policy support: Programs such as the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) and state-level incentives underpin steady demand for corn ethanol blends (E10, E15, E85).
• Co-products: Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) for animal feed and captured CO2 streams add revenue, improving plant economics.
• Agronomic reliability: Corn yields are consistent across large acreages, supporting predictable, year-round ethanol plant operations.
• Market liquidity: Deep futures and cash markets for corn help plants manage price risk for feedstock and output.

Together, these factors keep corn-based ethanol cost-competitive and scalable, helping it remain the most widely used biofuel feedstock worldwide.

Regional differences in biofuel feedstocks

United States

Corn dominates U.S. ethanol, which accounts for the largest share of global fuel ethanol supply. Most gasoline sold is E10 (10% ethanol), with growing but still smaller volumes of E15 and E85 where flex-fuel vehicles and infrastructure exist.

Brazil

Sugarcane is Brazil’s primary ethanol feedstock, prized for its high sugar content and energy efficiency (mills often power themselves with bagasse). Brazil blends high levels of ethanol in gasoline and uses hydrous ethanol in flex-fuel vehicles. In recent years, Brazil has also expanded corn ethanol in its Center-West, but sugarcane remains the mainstay.

Europe and Asia

Europe uses a broader mix. Wheat and sugar beet provide ethanol, while rapeseed oil historically led biodiesel, with increasing shares from used cooking oil (UCO). Southeast Asia produces significant biodiesel and renewable diesel from palm oil, though sustainability constraints and import policies shape markets. China and India use multiple ethanol feedstocks, including corn, cassava, and sugarcane molasses, depending on price and availability.

Other major biofuel feedstocks by fuel type

While corn and sugarcane dominate fuel ethanol, other biofuels rely on different plants and waste oils. The list below groups common feedstocks by the type of fuel they primarily produce.

• Ethanol: sugarcane (Brazil), corn (U.S., China), wheat (EU), sugar beet (EU), cassava (Asia, Africa), and molasses (India, Brazil).
• Biodiesel (FAME): soybean oil (Americas), rapeseed/canola oil (EU, Canada), palm oil (Southeast Asia), used cooking oil and animal fats (increasing globally).
• Renewable diesel/HEFA and SAF: the same oils and fats as biodiesel—palm, soybean, rapeseed/canola, UCO, tallow—processed via hydrotreating to make drop-in fuels.

These feedstocks reflect local crop patterns and policy frameworks, with waste oils (like UCO) gaining share due to stronger sustainability incentives and eligibility for low-carbon fuel credits.

Sustainability and next-generation pathways

Beyond first-generation crops, advanced biofuels aim to reduce land-use pressure and carbon intensity. Cellulosic ethanol uses residues such as corn stover and sugarcane bagasse, as well as dedicated energy crops like switchgrass and miscanthus, while forestry residues and municipal solid waste offer additional pathways. For diesel-range fuels and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), waste lipids and emerging technologies (such as alcohol-to-jet and gasification/FT of residues) are growing, supported by policies including U.S. tax credits and the EU’s advanced biofuels mandates.

Summary

Corn (maize) is the most common plant used for biofuel worldwide, chiefly for ethanol, propelled by U.S. production scale and policy support. Sugarcane is the leading crop in Brazil and a major global source of ethanol. Other important feedstocks include wheat and sugar beet for ethanol, and oils from soybean, rapeseed, palm, and used cooking oil for biodiesel and renewable diesel, with advanced pathways increasingly tapping agricultural residues and waste streams.

What is the best crop for biofuel?

For the production of bioethanol, the most suitable energy crops are species rich in sugars, such as sugar cane, sugar beet, corn, sweet sorghum, oats, barley, and rye.

What are the most common plants used for biofuel?

Biofuels are renewable substitutes for fossil fuels that are mainly produced from crop plants such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and sugarcane. But animal fats and other byproducts, along with household food waste, can also be used to make biofuels.

What is the most commonly used biofuel?

ethanol
The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which represent the first generation of biofuel technology.

What is the most widely used biofuel in the world?

Bioethanol is by far the most widely used biofuel for transportation worldwide and currently the only alternative to gasoline that can be used immediately without having to make any significant changes in the way fuel is distributed.