Renewable Liquid Transportation Fuels: The Cornerstone of the Success of Brazilian Bioenergy Program

Abstract

This chapter presents the historical evolution, together with social and economical aspects concerning biofuels in Brazil. The country plays an important role due to its large land area and the tropical climate, favoring sugarcane and soybean cultures. In respect to ethanol, Brazil has reached process and technology maturity, the production is rising and the market will grow in the coming decades, drived especially by flex-fuels engines. Currently, attention is also focused on second-generation ethanol, obtained from lignocellulosic materials. Networks for ethanol production are much more structured, integrated, and developed than those for the production of biodiesel. Addition of 2 % biodiesel from soybean to regular diesel, contributed significantly to increase domestic production of this biofuel, pushing Brazil to a global context. In 2010, this percentage increased to 5 % and is forecasted to reach 20 % in 2020. When anhydrous ethanol from sugarcane is mixed with gasoline at a 25 % ratio, 1900 kg CO₂ eq/m³ of bioethanol is avoided. The use of biodiesel to replace diesel fuel reduces 90 % emissions of burning gas and 78 % of smoke emissions.