The cost-effective production of bioethanol requires an inexpensive feedstock that is easily hydrolysed by minimal amounts of cellulase enzymes and efficiently converted to ethanol. Steam-exploded triticale straw was investigated for ethanol production using selected commercial cellulases, with Spezyme (R) CP outperforming the other enzymes in terms of glucose release. Varying enzyme dosages (5, 10 and 15 FPU Spezyme (R) CP/g cellulose) and different solids loadings (5, 10 and 15% w/v) were evaluated in simultaneous saccarification and fermentation (SSF) experiments with Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ethanol Red (R) as fermenting yeast. A 15% (w/v) solids loading with 15 FPU Spezyme (R) CP/g cellulose produced 29.6 g/l ethanol (81.3% ethanol yield). When the high-gravity SSF was repeated in a 1-I bioreactor Using 15% solids and 15 FPU Spezyme (R) CP/g cellulose, an ethanol concentration of 29.31 g/l (84.7% ethanol yield) was achieved after 144 h without additional beta-glucosidase. Similar results have been observed by other researchers, but with higher enzyme dosages or the addition of beta-glucosidase or xylanase. This study demonstrates that triticale straw is a potential feedstock for the production of lignocellulosic bioethanol, and further optimisation of the SSF conditions could result in a commercially viable process for the production of bio-ethanol. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.