The Brazilian National Alcohol Programme : a Technological Perspective

Abstract

This thesis analyses the Brazilian alcohol programme, the "ProAlcool", It concerns, in the main, with the technological components of the production/utilisation of industrial alcohols by fermentation, for use as fuels and chemical feedstocks, It also considers socioeconomic issues, criticisms, achievements and failures of the programme. It is concerned with bioenergy technology and the possible role of the ProAlcool within a wider Third World context; the need to phase in new fuels before the old ones run out; the importance of renewables energy sources. The importance of bioenergy stems from the fact that for many LDCs it is the best hope for achieving greater economic and energy independence. Unlike the industrial countries, in the LDCs the energy crisis continue unabated, due to the combination of economic and social problems, with many spending over 50% of their export earnings in oil imports. The ProAlcool contribution to bioenergy is due to the fact that for the first time bioenergy is being used in a large industrial scale for modern use of energy; the 95% of all passenger cars (c. 2 million) and the 57% of the light commercial vehicles now powered by alcohol, are the best testimony. Significant technological advances has already been made in many fronts. The programme can serve as a "school" for other countries willing to take a similar path. The ProAlcool has been very successful in the production/utilisation of ethanol; it has a significant impact in agriculture within the sugarcane growing areas; in the adaptation of the Otto-Cycle engines to alcohols and in improving and developing alcoholchemical processes. But it was also found that Brazil does not have a technological leadership in alcohol technology. Rather its advantage stems from acummulated historical experience and early start which have given Brazilian firms a headstart advantage. Technological advances have not been matched in the same level in the social front. Economic rather than social development has been the core of government policy for the past 50 years. The food problem has its roots in the agricultural policy not in the ProAlcool, which is based more on "trial and error" strategy. Many of the criticisms of the programme do not address the fundamental questions.