Ethanol Production in Brazil: A Successful History

摘要

The Brazilian experience, regarding the use of ethanol as automotive fuel, began in 1923 by the addition of ethanol to gasoline. Since then, the proportion of ethanol to gasoline has changed throughout the years mainly due to fluctuations in sugar and alcohol prices in the international market. In 1975, the Federal Government launched the "Proalcool" program to reduce the country's dependence on oil importations that some years before had reached 80 percent of its oil needs. Nowadays, ethanol, sugar and bioelectricity have opened new perspectives and transformed Brazilian mills and distilleries into bioindustries for food and energy. The aim of this paper is to show the positive impact of the Brazilian ethanol program on the economy, engines, energy, employment and environment, as well as, price stability making sugar and ethanol, the role of bioelectricity and the forecast to next years.