Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Brazil continues the rapid development of its alcohol program

Journal Article · · Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States)
OSTI ID:6493779
To increase energy independence, one of Brazil's energy options is to increase development of biomass fuel programs, including ethanol, methanol, vegetable oil, and direct burning of wood. The ethanol fuel program is more developed than any other biomass fuel program. Ethanol is widely used as a commercial motor fuel, either in a 20% mixture of anhydrous ethanol with 80% gasoline, or as pure (neat) ethanol (96% ethanol, 4% water). In 1978, about 1.5 million cubic meters of ethanol were blended with gasoline, displacing 11% of the total gasoline consumption in the country. In 1979, about 14% of total gasoline demand in the country was displaced by anhydrous ethanol added to gasoline, and about 4,000 vehicles were running on neat ethanol. Today, ethanol is primarily produced from sugarcane in molasses distilleries. If, in the future, Brazil should depend entirely on sugarcane, it would have to displace pasture or crop lands. Therefore, it is developing other feedstocks such as mandioca (cassava), sweet sorghum, and wood.
Research Organization:
Promon Eng, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
OSTI ID:
6493779
Journal Information:
Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States), Journal Name: Energy (Stamford, Conn.); (United States) Vol. 6:1; ISSN ENGYD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English