Mapping Sustainable Structural Dimensions for Managing the Brazilian Biodiesel Supply Chain

Abstract

It has been widely discussed in Brazil that the production of biodiesel should look for ways for increasing competitiveness considering the balance among economic growth, environmental quality and social well-being through the rational use of resources. The main purpose of this paper is to identify structural dimensions influencing sustainability and competitiveness of the Brazilian biodiesel production chain and, thereby, contribute to the current debate as well as to the process of formulating policy and strategies regarding this important supply chain. As starting point, a number of publications were reviewed allowing the identification of main issues and its combination into relevant factors. Eventually, the factors were put together, resulting in a set of structural dimensions: biodiesel supply chain environment, institutional framework, market conditions, monitoring systems and technological innovation. Then, the structural dimensions were summarized in a conceptual model showing the relationship between them. The structural dimensions may be seen as critical points in which stakeholders would pay attention to ensure successful performance and sustainable competitiveness of the biodiesel production chain. The objective of the entire system is to deliver biodiesel as a clean energy with focus on social inclusion, mitigation of environmental impacts and viability.

Introducing measurement science into sustainability systems

“…To illustrate the application of the framework, we chose the integration and logistic infrastructure (ILI), one of the six dimensions of the biodiesel supply chain (Santos et al 2014) and the same set of indicators of Santos and Brandi (2015b). Table 1 shows the mean values, X i , uncertainties, u(x i ), and reference values, r i , of the time series of n indicators x i of j(= 6) countries.…”

“…As an example of this approach, Santos et al (2014) have mapped six sustainable dimensions of the biodiesel supply chain and associated chosen indicators.…”

“…These dimensions may be formally constructed by the application of statistical multivariate methods of dimension reduction such as principal component analysis, canonical correlation analysis, and factorial analysis, for example (Hair et al 2005;Santos et al 2014;Santos and Brandi 2014). Other multivariate statistical methods such as partial least squares variable importance in projection (PLS-VIP) may be coupled with the aggregation process to make inferences on the relative importance of environmental indicators overtime (Sengupta et al 2015a).…”

Effects of the Brazilian biodiesel certification in the relationship between the biodiesel industry and small-scale farmers

“…However, despite these advantages Dos Santos et al [5] warn that, if the government does not make the necessary interventions to diversify raw materials, the prevalence of soy, with higher yields and productive infrastructures controlled by large capital, will hinder the development of regional crops that may serve as raw material for biodiesel.…”

“…As for the socio-economic aspects of biofuel production, Dos Santos et al [5] recall that the PNPB establishes a linkage between an energy policy and a social policy, by certifying the biodiesel producers that buy 10-30% of their feedstock from family farmers.…”