Brazil, new GBEP partner, seeks leading role in global biofuel market

The UN Secretary-General described the plant as “one of many green technologies that show promise in offsetting global warming.”

“Some fear that land currently used to grow food will instead be turned over to fuel,” Ban said. “Others worry that forests will be cut down to make way for biomass plantations. Still more worry about the effects on the environment and biodiversity.” But national governments must take the lead in managing their use and ensuring that the benefits outweigh the costs, the top UN official said.

Since Brazil launched the National Ethanol Program (ProAlcool) more than 30 years ago, the use of ethanol as a substitute for gasoline has accounted for savings of over 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent. Over the last eight years, the use of ethanol produced savings in oil imports of $61 billion. As a consequence, the Brazilian energy mix is one of the cleanest in the world and more than 45% of energy consumed comes from renewable sources.

Brazil is now seeking to expand its biofuel industry and carve out a leading role worldwide while at the same time improving further its environmental impact.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva in October called on African countries to join the “biofuel revolution”, saying it would help strengthen the world’s poorest economies and fight global warming. At home, meanwhile, almost 100 sugar and ethanol mills in Sao Paolo state agreed to stop the practice of burning cane fields by 2017. The move, while not binding, shows an effort to limit the industry’s negative social and environmental impacts.

As a sign of the potential of the Brazilian industry, state-owned oil company Petrobras has announced its intention to become a major biofuel producer and transporter. The company can provide experience and infrastructure to transport ethanol from inland mills to ocean ports. Petrobras aims to export 500 million litres of ethanol next year and 4.75 billion litres in 2012.

Back to menu of articles

Leggi le notizie in italiano