The Success of the Brazilian Alcohol Program (Proálcool) - A Decade-by-Decade Brief History of Ethanol in Brazil

Abstract

The National Alcohol Program (Proálcool) was a strategic policy of the Brazilian government to replace petroleum-based fuels with alcohol (ethanol). Based on the review, we can choose the 1960s as a start point for a leap in development. Over the 500 years of sugarcane history in Brazil, the crop enters the second decade of the 21 st century with extraordinary strength and prestige, reaching its highest production in history. This made Brazil a leader in sugar and ethanol productions worldwide, with an energy-independent agribusiness. Moreover, effluents and polluting wastes were transformed into high-value inputs (e.g., vinasse, filter cake, and others). Environmentally friendly actions included developing organic cane production technology, ceasing sugarcane field burning, relocating workers from field cutting activities, reducing atmospheric CO 2 emissions. Besides, Brazilian agribusiness has led the search for the "philosopher's stone," that is, transforming pulp or bagasse (polysaccharides) into fermentable sugar for secondgeneration ethanol production. This paper aimed to present the history and development of the Proálcool Program from decade to decade, as well as showing the actions that led Brazil to assume such significant leadership. This survey highlights the roles of the government, through the Sugar and Alcohol Institute, and of the agronomist Dr Gilberto Miller Azzi, who lent his name to the central building of the Center for Agricultural Sciences-UFSCar's Araras campus.

Strength in diversity? Past dynamics and future drivers affecting demand for sugar, ethanol, biogas and bioelectricity from Brazil's sugarcane sector

“…The past dynamics of Brazil's sugarcane sector have been affected by demands for multiple products. In 1975, in the context of rising global oil prices, the Brazilian government inaugurated the "PROALCOOL" programme to increase the production of ethanol, which could be blended with gasoline, thereby reducing the country's dependency on imported oil [12,40]. Vehicles capable of running on pure ethanol were later developed, accounting for 80% of all new vehicle registrations by 1983 [41].…”

“…While fermentation of sugars from sugarcane has historically been the dominant means of producing ethanol in Brazil, other production routes are possible. For many years the potential of 'second generation' ethanol produced from lignocellulosic material has been discussed [40,52,65,66]. Second generation ethanol elicited mixed views from interviewees.…”

Fermentation for the production of biobased chemicals in a circular economy: a perspective for the period 2022–2050

“…the US, EU and Brazil (see e.g. [324][325][326] ). This highlights the role governmental bodies can play in stimulating the adoption of novel technologies required for the transition to a circular economy.…”

Políticas y Negocios para la Bioeconomía en ALC: Un proceso en marcha

“…En bioetanol, por ejemplo, cerca de 14 países de América Latina han establecido mandatos para el uso obligatorio de la mezcla del etanol con los combustibles convencionales, que va desde el 5 % en Guatemala y Uruguay hasta el 27 % en Brasil (REN21, 2019). En este último, la caña de azúcar y sus derivados contribuyen con más del 17 % de la energía primaria y sustituyen el 36 % de la gasolina; de ahí que este país sea el segundo productor mundial (detrás de los Estados Unidos) y el primer exportador de etanol de caña de azúcar del mundo (Stolf & Oliveira, 2020). Para el caso de la industria del biodiésel, Argentina es el tercer productor, segundo consumidor y primer exportador global.…”