Second generation ethanol enters the market in 2014

Groups mill owners have been conducting experiments with the product a few years ago

by Viviane Taguchi , Araçatuba ( SP )

( Cana second generation can bring more benefits to the common reed - Photo : Shutterstock )

Ethanol from second generation (2G ) or cellulosic ethanol , generated from bagasse and straw cane sugar should finally begin to be produced on a commercial scale next year . Besides Granbio Plant , located in Barra de São Miguel ( AL ) , Group Gradin ( and it is developing a variety called " energy cane " especially for this purpose ) , Raizen , a joint venture between Esso and Cosan , announced that it will build a plant to produce ethanol 2G . The company has received , in September, a contribution of $ 207.7 million from the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES ) .

Pedro Mizutani , vice president of Raizen , said during the 6th National Congress of Bioenergy , organized by the Union of Bioenergy Producers ( udop ) in Araçatuba ( SP ) that the factory 2G group will be installed next to the Costa Pinto mill in Piracicaba ( SP ) and initially the company's focus will also enable more cost effective product . " This biofuel has great room for growth in Brazil ," he said . Mizutani also said that cellulosic ethanol will not be competing with first generation ethanol . " A production enables the other." Raizen The factory will have the capacity to produce 40 million cellulosic ethanol per year , he said .

In São Miguel dos Campos , in Alagoas , the Granbio inaugurated a plant for U.S. $ 10 million to produce new technologies for ethanol 2G in May . There, the focus is the development of a plant called " energy cane " , suitable for use cellulose . This factory starts operating next year and expected to increase by 35 % installed capacity .

According to the company , the energy cane shows advantages over traditional varieties of cane sugar now used to produce ethanol 1G , such as the ability to recover degraded pastures , increased productivity and extend the life of the cane fields . Sizuo Matsuoka , director of Vignis company , specializing in development of biomass , says the plant has also increased productivity . " Productivity is a key factor of competitiveness for second generation ethanol and energy cane produces twice the conventional varieties ." According to him , this plant is a hybrid genetic cross ancestral types of commercial cane sugar and can be harvested at any time of year .

Cristina Machado , Agroenergia researcher at Embrapa , Brasília ( DF ) said that the organization has been researching various other biomass sources that may be used to produce ethanol 2G in the future. These include various types of grasses such as millet and elephant grass and some grass typical forest . " No company will achieve alone reach an ideal product . You will need to join forces to contribute to research and studies for viabilizarmos 2G ethanol in Brazil , but this is a matter of time . Short time. "

Source : Globo Rural Magazine ( Brazil ) .