Ethanol Jatos movidos a cana-de-açúcar: UNICA vê avanço essencial para redução de emissões

                                                                                       E-Jet 170 da Embraer (foto Embraer)

          Aviões cruzando os céus utilizando biocombustíveis produzidos a partir de cana-de-açúcar, ecologicamente corretos e com emissões reduzidas de gases que causam o efeito estufa, podem ser uma realidade não tão distante. Essa é a aposta das fabricantes de aeronaves Boeing e Embraer, que vão financiar uma série de pesquisas sobre o tema com apoio do Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento (BID) e da Amyris, empresa especializada em biotecnologia. Embora em estágio ainda inicial, a iniciativa sinaliza uma tendência de importância fundamental na visão da União da Indústria de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA).

“É um esforço importante e correto para pesquisa e desenvolvimento. O querosene de aviação derivado de petróleo é poluente e contribui para a emissão de gases de efeito estufa que intensificam o aquecimento global. A utilização de um combustível renovável a partir da cana-de-açúcar neste contexto é de grande importância, pois ajudaria a diminuir a emissão desses gases,” afirma Alfred Szwarc, consultor de Emissões e Tecnologia da UNICA.

A parceria entre Boeing, Embraer e BID foi anunciada no final de junho, com as pesquisas para a utilização do biocombustível sob responsabilidade da Amyris do Brasil, coordenadas pelo Instituto de Estudos do Comércio e Negociações Internacionais (Icone) e supervisionadas pela organização não-governamental World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Os resultados do trabalho devem ser divulgados no início de 2012.

De acordo com André Nassar, do Icone, o objetivo do estudo é fornecer dados sobre o ciclo de vida das emissões associadas aos combustíveis de fontes renováveis utilizados em aviões. “Vamos examinar também as mudanças no uso indireto da terra e seus efeitos. Serão feitas análises dos combustíveis derivados da cana para jatos em relação aos padrões de sustentabilidade existentes, incluindo o Bonsucro, o Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels e o Biofuel Scorecard do BID,” destaca.

Fontes Renováveis

O forte envolvimento brasileiro com fontes renováveis de energia foi destacado pelo diretor de Estratégia e Tecnologia para o Meio-Ambiente da Embraer, Guilherme Freire. "O Brasil é uma rica fonte de biomassa e o desenvolvimento dessas tecnologias, baseadas na cana-de-açúcar, reforçam a importância do crescimento sustentável da aviação para o País,” disse.

Já Billy Glover, vice-presidente de Meio Ambiente e Política de Aviação da Boeing, enfatizou a parceria entre as empresas brasileiras e americanas. "A pesquisa em parceria para o uso da cana em jatos é importante para diversificar as fontes de combustível de aviação e fortalecer a cooperação estabelecida entre os Estados Unidos e o Brasil na área das energias renováveis," destacou.

Para o CEO da Amyris, John Melo, o planeta não será beneficiado por um combustível que apenas substitua os atuais. "Este estudo nos ajudará a substituir os combustíveis fósseis com um combustível de fonte renovável para jatos, que exceda os atuais critérios técnicos e de sustentabilidade," explica.

Ethanol Jatos movidos a cana-de-açúcar: UNICA vê avanço essencial para redução de emissões

                                                                                       E-Jet 170 da Embraer (foto Embraer)

          Aviões cruzando os céus utilizando biocombustíveis produzidos a partir de cana-de-açúcar, ecologicamente corretos e com emissões reduzidas de gases que causam o efeito estufa, podem ser uma realidade não tão distante. Essa é a aposta das fabricantes de aeronaves Boeing e Embraer, que vão financiar uma série de pesquisas sobre o tema com apoio do Banco Interamericano de Desenvolvimento (BID) e da Amyris, empresa especializada em biotecnologia. Embora em estágio ainda inicial, a iniciativa sinaliza uma tendência de importância fundamental na visão da União da Indústria de Cana-de-Açúcar (UNICA).

“É um esforço importante e correto para pesquisa e desenvolvimento. O querosene de aviação derivado de petróleo é poluente e contribui para a emissão de gases de efeito estufa que intensificam o aquecimento global. A utilização de um combustível renovável a partir da cana-de-açúcar neste contexto é de grande importância, pois ajudaria a diminuir a emissão desses gases,” afirma Alfred Szwarc, consultor de Emissões e Tecnologia da UNICA.

A parceria entre Boeing, Embraer e BID foi anunciada no final de junho, com as pesquisas para a utilização do biocombustível sob responsabilidade da Amyris do Brasil, coordenadas pelo Instituto de Estudos do Comércio e Negociações Internacionais (Icone) e supervisionadas pela organização não-governamental World Wildlife Fund (WWF). Os resultados do trabalho devem ser divulgados no início de 2012.

De acordo com André Nassar, do Icone, o objetivo do estudo é fornecer dados sobre o ciclo de vida das emissões associadas aos combustíveis de fontes renováveis utilizados em aviões. “Vamos examinar também as mudanças no uso indireto da terra e seus efeitos. Serão feitas análises dos combustíveis derivados da cana para jatos em relação aos padrões de sustentabilidade existentes, incluindo o Bonsucro, o Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels e o Biofuel Scorecard do BID,” destaca.

Fontes Renováveis

O forte envolvimento brasileiro com fontes renováveis de energia foi destacado pelo diretor de Estratégia e Tecnologia para o Meio-Ambiente da Embraer, Guilherme Freire. "O Brasil é uma rica fonte de biomassa e o desenvolvimento dessas tecnologias, baseadas na cana-de-açúcar, reforçam a importância do crescimento sustentável da aviação para o País,” disse.

Já Billy Glover, vice-presidente de Meio Ambiente e Política de Aviação da Boeing, enfatizou a parceria entre as empresas brasileiras e americanas. "A pesquisa em parceria para o uso da cana em jatos é importante para diversificar as fontes de combustível de aviação e fortalecer a cooperação estabelecida entre os Estados Unidos e o Brasil na área das energias renováveis," destacou.

Para o CEO da Amyris, John Melo, o planeta não será beneficiado por um combustível que apenas substitua os atuais. "Este estudo nos ajudará a substituir os combustíveis fósseis com um combustível de fonte renovável para jatos, que exceda os atuais critérios técnicos e de sustentabilidade," explica.

UNICA: Brazil's Anhydrous Ethanol Output Up 27% Early July

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, commonly known as UNICA, said in a new report that production of anhydrous ethanol rose about 27% during the first half of July.

The report issued this week said that 615 million liters of anhydrous ethanol was produced in the first 15 days of the month, compared to the 486 million liters produced for the same period during the 2010-2011 harvest.

UNICA said the increase in the production of anhydrous ethanol suggests the industry is serious about meeting domestic demand.

On demand, the report said 6.19 billion liters of ethanol was sold in the South-Central region of the country between April and July 16, which is down about 16% from same period last year.

Most of the sales were anhydrous ethanol, with hydrous ethanol sales lagging. Anhydrous fuel ethanol is also called pure ethanol, because it contains 1% or less of water.

UNICA: Brazil's Anhydrous Ethanol Output Up 27% Early July

The Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association, commonly known as UNICA, said in a new report that production of anhydrous ethanol rose about 27% during the first half of July.

The report issued this week said that 615 million liters of anhydrous ethanol was produced in the first 15 days of the month, compared to the 486 million liters produced for the same period during the 2010-2011 harvest.

UNICA said the increase in the production of anhydrous ethanol suggests the industry is serious about meeting domestic demand.

On demand, the report said 6.19 billion liters of ethanol was sold in the South-Central region of the country between April and July 16, which is down about 16% from same period last year.

Most of the sales were anhydrous ethanol, with hydrous ethanol sales lagging. Anhydrous fuel ethanol is also called pure ethanol, because it contains 1% or less of water.

Brazil's Government Prepares Ethanol Stimulus

Concerned about the inflationary impact of ethanol shortages, Brazil's government is preparing a package of measures to stimulate sugarcane farming and ethanol fuel stocking, local business daily Valor Economico reported Friday.

According to government sources, the Finance Ministry will in August issue a decree offering tax breaks on sugarcane production and subsidized credit to stock ethanol until the post-harvest January to April period, when shortages are most acute.

Brazilian ethanol prices surged in the first quarter of 2011 as producers failed to keep up with soaring demand in this booming economy. Shortages promise to be even more acute next year as sugarcane output is seen falling 4 to 6%.

This potentially hinders the government's fight to control peaking inflation, as ethanol is widely used as an automotive fuel and as a 25% additive in gasoline fuel.

The government has identified lagging sugarcane production as one of the main problems. UNICA, the main sugarcane industry association, forecasts 2011-12 center-south output will come in 48 million metric tons, or 9%, short of demand. That's mainly because rival crops have been offering better returns than sugarcane, which in part is because of government caps on fuel prices.

The government's planned tax breaks, on which sources offered no details, represent an attempt to revert that situation.

No stimulus will be given to increase ethanol-distilling capacity, however, as the country has 150 million metric tons in excess crushing capacity, according to Brasilia.

The creation of ethanol stocks was a key issue for many years before the introduction of the flex-fuel cars, which can run on any mixture of ethanol and gasoline fuel from 2003 onwards.

While a shortage of ethanol no longer means a fuel crisis, it does push fuel prices higher hence the government initiative create stocks.

Brazil is expected to export 1.8 billion liters of ethanol in 2011-12 -- a fact frowned upon in Brasilia.

According to Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobo, the government decided to hold off on reducing the percentage of ethanol added to gasoline to 18 to 20%, from 25%, following assurances from millers and distillers that they will supply the market, at reasonable prices. The industry has committed to import up to 1 billion liters of ethanol to meet that promise. That means more ethanol imports from the U.S. this season.

Brazil's Government Prepares Ethanol Stimulus

Concerned about the inflationary impact of ethanol shortages, Brazil's government is preparing a package of measures to stimulate sugarcane farming and ethanol fuel stocking, local business daily Valor Economico reported Friday.

According to government sources, the Finance Ministry will in August issue a decree offering tax breaks on sugarcane production and subsidized credit to stock ethanol until the post-harvest January to April period, when shortages are most acute.

Brazilian ethanol prices surged in the first quarter of 2011 as producers failed to keep up with soaring demand in this booming economy. Shortages promise to be even more acute next year as sugarcane output is seen falling 4 to 6%.

This potentially hinders the government's fight to control peaking inflation, as ethanol is widely used as an automotive fuel and as a 25% additive in gasoline fuel.

The government has identified lagging sugarcane production as one of the main problems. UNICA, the main sugarcane industry association, forecasts 2011-12 center-south output will come in 48 million metric tons, or 9%, short of demand. That's mainly because rival crops have been offering better returns than sugarcane, which in part is because of government caps on fuel prices.

The government's planned tax breaks, on which sources offered no details, represent an attempt to revert that situation.

No stimulus will be given to increase ethanol-distilling capacity, however, as the country has 150 million metric tons in excess crushing capacity, according to Brasilia.

The creation of ethanol stocks was a key issue for many years before the introduction of the flex-fuel cars, which can run on any mixture of ethanol and gasoline fuel from 2003 onwards.

While a shortage of ethanol no longer means a fuel crisis, it does push fuel prices higher hence the government initiative create stocks.

Brazil is expected to export 1.8 billion liters of ethanol in 2011-12 -- a fact frowned upon in Brasilia.

According to Mines and Energy Minister Edison Lobo, the government decided to hold off on reducing the percentage of ethanol added to gasoline to 18 to 20%, from 25%, following assurances from millers and distillers that they will supply the market, at reasonable prices. The industry has committed to import up to 1 billion liters of ethanol to meet that promise. That means more ethanol imports from the U.S. this season.

University’s chemists enable Unilever to improve household products

Unilever is working with the University of Liverpool to improve the effectiveness and sustainability of its household products, including bleach and toothpaste.

The University’s £9.6 million Centre for Materials Discovery enables industries to move rapidly into the next generation of manufacturing novel materials. Its high-throughput technology accelerates research by enabling scientists to produce and test large numbers of new materials in parallel.

Unilever is developing new polymers – large molecules of repeating units – with improved properties in a wide range of home and personal care products. The new materials have enabled Unilever to improve the structure, feel and flow of products as well as their ability to bind to surfaces.

Glyn Roberts, Unilever Director for Structured Materials, said: “We aim to double the size of our business while reducing our overall environmental impact so identifying new materials which are both highly effective and sustainably sourced is crucial. Improving the way a product looks, feels and performs is key to how consumers view their experience of using it.”

A number of components in all home and personal care products are derived from non-sustainable sources. Companies are increasingly looking to develop more sustainable alternatives which have similar or enhanced properties and the technology available at the University make it well-placed to support Unilever.

The innovative robotic platforms within the Centre for Materials Discovery are provided by Chemspeed Technologies and allow the automation of polymer synthesis – the development of new materials from their component parts – as well as analysis to check the structure and purity of the material and the formulation of prototype products. These capabilities allow libraries of materials to be made and studied much more rapidly than has been possible in the past.

The Centre opened in 2006, following investment from the University, the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), and Merseyside European Objective One funding. Unilever has been working with the University on the optimisation of household products since the Centre opened and has now agreed to extend the collaboration until 2017.

Jon Hague, Unilever Vice-President for Open Innovation, said: “The University has enabled a transformation in the way Unilever approaches a traditional and established field such as chemistry, enabling a dramatic uptick in speed and quality of output. The success of this partnership has been instrumental in boosting our innovation funnel and so we are delighted to be extending our collaboration with Liverpool.”

Professor Andy Cooper, Director of the Centre for Materials Discovery, said: “Enabling companies like Unilever to develop new materials and improve products is exactly what the Centre was set up to achieve. I’m delighted that our strong relationships with Unilever and Chemspeed are enabling real innovation in materials discovery.”