A First: More Ethanol than Gas Sold in Brazil
Drivers bought more unblended sugar cane ethanol than gas in Brazil in 2008, marking a first in ethanol history.
Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency reported this week that ethanol sales topped gas sales for the first time ever last year. The record reflects a major upswell in ethanol sales in Brazil over the past year, up 44.9 % over 2007.
Cane ethanol sells for half the price of fossil fuel gasoline in Brazil, giving drivers ample incentive to fuel up with the domestically produced cane ethanol. Currently, Brazilians pay around US$2.38/gallon at the pump for ethanol compared with US$4.05 for gasoline.
- » See also: #3 Portland, Oregon (USA): Great Bicycle City Photo Tour
- » Get EcoWorldly by RSS or sign up by email.
Brazil produces the world’s greatest supply of ethanol from sugar cane, although the United States produces still more from corn. Consequently, nine out of ten cars in Brazil can run on either gas or ethanol or any combination of the two. In addition to fueling its own fleets, Brazil also exports billions of liters of sugar cane ethanol to Europe and the United States.
Source: AFP via Biofuels Digest
I used to feel very positive about next-gen biofuels (e.g. cellulosic ethanol, algae biodiesel). However, over the past year, I’ve become increasingly convinced that the future of transportation lies with electrification rather than improved liquid fuels.
That’s not to say that natural gas and next-gen biofuels can’t play a part, but the focus going into improving battery technology right now leads me to believe that this is ultimately where things are headed.
[...] The answer is more muddled than I would have guessed. But what can you expect given Brazil’s recent my-way-or-the-highway conservation tactics, their boldness in announcing an unrealistically ambitious anti-deforestation campaign, and a giant oil discovery that further added to the wealth of a country that is now buying more ethanol than gas? [...]