magazinefactory article

Bioethanol and Brazil

17.04.2007 Time 10:27, 1a-gruppe1

Bioethanol

In 2004 the total production amount of bioethanol was 41 billion litres. The biggest producers of bioethanol are Brazil with 37 %, USA with 33 % and Asia with 14 %.

In 1975 Brazil was quite reliant on imported oil, so they decided to try to use, and produce bioethanol, instead of solely relying on imported oil. Today, Brazil is a leading factor in using biological fuels, such as bioethanol. Brazil produces bioethanol, from sugar beets. In 1999 Brazil produced 13 billion litres bioethanol from sugar beets.

· 40% of the Brazilian's fuel consists of bioethanol.

· Since 1979, Brazil has produced more than 5,5 million cars that run on bioethanol.

· 74% of all sold cars in January 2006 were Flexible Fuel cars.

· The Brazilian government expects that 95% of all sold cars in 2010 will be running on some kind of biological fuel.

· 8 out of 10 Brazilian cars run on bioethanol.

Brazil is much more ahead in the production of bioethanol, because the country is extremely rich in sugar beets, and it's much cheaper to produce bioethanol from sugar beets than it is from corn. The production of bioethanol from corn has lead to a price increase in corn, which isn't too good. This affects the poorer countries and parts of Middle and - South America.

The production of bioethanol is a cheap, more environment-friendly way of producing fuel for the modern day car, but there are some small problems though, such as the price increase in corn, but all in all, it's a good thing.

- Nicholas and Kitt

from:

http://www2.edu.fi/magazinefactory/magazines/Budafipo/?str=40&artCat=7&artID=98