Potential of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) for bioenergy production in Canada: Status, challenges and outlook

Climate change from carbon emissions and rising energy demands poses a serious threat to global sustainability. This issue is particularly noticeable in Canada where per capita energy demands are high and fossil fuels are used. Industrial hemp can be used for bioenergy production as an alternative to fossil fuels to capture and utilize carbon, with applications in various markets at high values. Despite this, industrial hemp has faced legal barriers that have hampered its viability. This review describes industrial hemp, its status in global markets, its performance as bioenergy feedstock, and potential in Canada, so research can target gaps in available knowledge. Numerous bioenergy applications for industrial hemp exist; the production of bioethanol and biodiesel from industrial hemp has strong potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the Canadian economy. The current study found that industrial hemp can compete with many energy crops in global markets as a feedstock for many bioenergy products with solid hemp yielding 100 GJ/ha/y, allowing for economical emissions reductions for example in coal/biochar blends that can reduce emissions by 10%, and in co-production of bioethanol and grain, generating $2632/ha/y. This work also suggests industrial hemp has unique potential for growth in Canada, though processing facilities are severely lacking, and hemp growing has some negative environmental impacts related to fertilizer use. Responsible growth could be realized through incentivizing or subsidizing processing facility investment, implementing co-production where possible, and funding research to improve conversion, harvesting and polygeneration processes.