2.7 - Brazil Biofuels

Question 1

When did Brazil start producing biofuels?

Answer 1

• 1970s
• invested in HEP and then biofuels
• was initially heavily subsidised to compete against conventional fossil fuels, especially after 1973 oil crisis
• subsidies were removed in 1990s
  
  • however demand remained as is used vastly and infrastructure is efficient enough to reduce price margins

Question 2

How much of Brazil’s energy comes from renewables?

Answer 2

• 4%

Question 3

How are biofuels used in Brazil?

Answer 3

• 90% of cars sold have flex-fuel engines
  
  • flex-fuel is a blend of ethanol and petrol
• used for 16% of energy generation in Brazil

Question 4

Why does it make sense for Brazil to invest in and use biofuels?

Answer 4

• has been growing sugar cane for 500 years
  
  • sugar cane is used to make biofuels
• is the worlds largest producer of sugar cane and is the lead exporter

Question 5

What are the advantages of investment in biofuels in Brazil?

Answer 5

• bio-refineries produce equivalent of 930k barrels of oil/day
  
  • worth $50bn/yr
  • creates >1.2m direct jobs
• Bagasse (waste) can also be used for electricity generation
• means that usage of sugar cane is efficient
• industry provides 11 jobs per tonne of oil produced
  
  • results in employment in formalised jobs
• sugar cane provides 8-10x the amount of energy input into growing it
  
  • reduces GHG emissions by 90% when burnt
• engines do not need to be modified much to run on biofuels
• sugar cane regrows more quickly than replenishment of fossil fuels fuels

Question 6

What are the disadvantages of the use of biofuels in Brazil?

Answer 6

• usage of sugar cane means removal of carbon storage in biomass
  
  • less sequestration, more CO₂ in the atmosphere
• Government reduced taxes on fossil fuels to control inflation
  
  • however, created more variability in biofuel prices, instability for biofuel farmers
• recent demand increase has resulted in need for more land for sugar cane
  
  • resulted in pastureland and agricultural land being taken over by sugar cane plantation
  • in turn results in deforestation of forest for normal agriculture and grazing of cattle
• can displace food crops, causing food prices to spike
• reduce biodiversity
• risk of water + fertiliser runoff

Question 7

How many generations of biofuels are there?

Answer 7

3

Question 8

What are 1st generation biofuels?

Answer 8

• ethanol and biodiesel
• made using food crops
  
  • Ethanol: Sugar cane, corn, maize
  • Biodiesel: canola, soybean

Question 9

What are 2nd generation biofuels?

Answer 9

• made of cellulosic material
  
  • grass, wood, inedible parts of plants
  • is processed and then broken down via fermentation to produce fuel

Question 10

What are 3rd generation biofuels?

Answer 10

• liquid is produced by algae

Question 11

What are advanced biofuels?

Answer 11

• produced from rubbish, spent cooking oil, animal fats

Question 12

How is ethanol made?

Answer 12

• fermentation of organic matter
  
  • is used as a fuel in itself or to supplement a fuel
  • eg. E85 petrol is a blend of ethanol and petrol

Question 13

How is biodiesel made?

Answer 13

• extraction of oil from plants and seeds
• can be used as a fuel itself or to supplement diesel
  
  • eg. B5 is a blend of diesel with 5% biodiesel