Method for processing vegetable biomass

An integrated process for the production of cellulosic ethanol from a sugar cane biomass, consisting of the stages of:

• a) defibrating a sugar cane biomass;
• b) milling the defibrated sugar cane biomass, the milling stage characterized by at most 3 three-roller milling combinations, resulting in a saccharose content primary juice and a bagasse containing a residual amount of saccharose and a fibrous fraction;
• c) submitting the bagasse obtained in stage b) to a one-step physico-chemical treatment with addition of at least one chemical agent at conditions with severity level (S) is within the range from 3.70 to 4.50;
• d) hydrolyzing the treated sugar cane bagasse obtained from stage c) with an enzyme, such that a cellulosic hydrolysate is produced;
• and
• e) fermenting the the cellulosic hydrolysate from stage d), such that a cellulosic ethanol is produced;
• wherein the at least one chemical agent added at stage c) is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, ammonium hydroxide, water steam, water, and combinations thereof, and
• wherein stages d) and e) are sequential or concurrent stages.