Abstract: In order to cope with the global energy crisis and greenhouse gas emissions which are highly likely to be responsible for the accelerating global warming and its catastrophic consequences, the scientists in many countries are committed to the exploration, development and utilization of clean and renewable energy. Considering the national food security, the energy plants had to be chosen from nonmainly consumable grain crops that they can grow in margin lands. Sweet sorghum is concerned as one of the most promising ethanol feedstocks because it has many important traits: high sugar content similar to that of sugar cane, high biomass yield, short growth cycle, drought resistance, and the ability to grow on marginal land areas. Owing to the increasing of the proportion of sweet sorghum as fuel ethanol feedstock, many countries take it as complementary of sugar cane. As the development of bioenergy, sweet sorghum is expected to play an important role in the future by its own advantages.

Key words: sweet sorghum, bioethanol, greenhouse gas