Ethanol production from corn crops is on the rise in the Brazilian market. According to data from the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), obtained firsthand by the CNN Brasil Business since the 2017/18 harvest, with the installation of industries totally dedicated to the process, national production increased from 520 thousand cubic meters to 4.5 million cubic meters (or 4.5 billion liters) in the 2022/ 23, a growth close to 800%.
The expectation is to reach 10 billion liters by 2030 and increase the share of the national ethanol market from 15% to 20%, according to the National Corn Ethanol Union (Unem).
The confederation claims that corn ethanol is a sustainable alternative in the fuel segment and the possibility of stimulating regional development. Currently, there are 18 corn ethanol plants in operation in four states (Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Goiás and São Paulo), five of which are being expanded. There are still ten under authorization for construction and another ten projected to be built, with the inclusion of units in states in the Northeast and South of the country.
According to the executive manager for Environment and Sustainability at the National Confederation of Industry (CNI), Davi Bomtempo, production is regionalized, resulting in employment and local income.
“Production is not centralized in one location in the country. The workforce is not concentrated. And there is corn adapted for all climate and soil situations in Brazil. There is corn for Rio Grande do Sul, Paraná, Mato Grosso, Goiás, so it is possible to make this plant anywhere in Brazil”, he details.
Bomtempo also explains that corn has the advantage of being a durable input, as it can be stored all year round. Sugarcane production, on the other hand, is seasonal, with a harvest that lasts about eight months, in addition to having restrictions on planting in cold weather.
“In the case of sugarcane, the plant is idle for a certain period of the year because there is no raw material available to make ethanol. With corn it is possible to produce all year round because it can be stored for a longer period”, he says.
For the president of Unem, Guilherme Linares Nolasco, corn and sugar cane complement each other. According to him, sugarcane ethanol industries can adapt their facilities to incorporate corn as a raw material, either in the off-season with the flex industry model, or concomitantly, known as the full-flex model.
Nolasco highlights that this ethanol generates a low-carbon economy in the energy transition, with the ability to mitigate up to 90% of the greenhouse gases generated by fossil fuels. “With the adapted technology of flex engines, with a consolidated supply network throughout the country, ethanol can become a more economical, accessible and clean matrix”, he points out.
Source: CNN Brasil

Joe Jameson, a technology journalist with over 2 years of experience, writes for top online news websites. Specializing in the field of technology, Joe provides insights into the latest advancements in the industry. Currently, he contributes to covering the world stock market.