Environmental Profile
Sugarcane ethanol has a lower emissions profile compared with other fuels. From production to consumption, sugarcane ethanol emits up to 90 percent less greenhouse gases than gasoline, according to data from the International Energy Agency. Sugar and ethanol production also generates renewable energy in the form of electricity, which is used to run our operations, as well as supply local power needs.
Superior energy balance
A fuel's energy balance is the ratio between the energy that goes into making it and the amount of energy it contains. Sugarcane ethanol has an energy balance of 9.3 units of energy created for every unit of energy spent to produce it.
Cleaner-burning cars
Almost all new vehicles sold in Brazil run on flex fuels, which contain from 85 to 100 percent sugarcane ethanol. According to UNICA, the Brazilian sugarcane industry association, since the launch of flex-fuel vehicles in 2003, Brazil has avoided more than 100 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions by using sugarcane ethanol instead of gasoline.
Sugarcane ethanol is poised to become a greater part of the energy mix in the United States and Europe as well. In February 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified sugarcane ethanol as an advanced biofuel with a greenhouse gas reduction profile of 61 percent versus gasoline. This classification means that it can be used to meet the nation's 4 billion gallon mandate for non-cellulosic, advanced biofuels. Similar classifications exist in the European Union and in California.
Renewable energy in, renewable energy out
Not only do sugarcane mills produce renewable energy, they run on it as well. By burning bagasse, a fibrous by-product of sugarcane processing, our mills generate carbon-neutral electricity to power their operations. Surplus electricity can be transmitted through the power grid and used to supply local power needs.
Sugarcane mills play an important role in meeting Brazil's demand for electricity, particularly during the dry season when hydroelectric power is scarce due to low reservoir levels. It is estimated that milling 4 million metric tons of sugarcane can produce enough electricity to supply a city of 300,000 people in Brazil. According to UNICA, Brazil is currently meeting 5 percent of its demand for electricity using electricity generated by sugarcane mills.