Jul 30, 2010
Cellulosic Ethanol Production Focus of Research Efforts in Brazil
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The Center for Sugarcane Technology (CTC) located in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo, is marking its fifth anniversary as an independent research organization focused on improved sugarcane production and processing. Started in 1969 by Copersucar, the center was a part of the company until 2004 when it became its own entity supported by affiliated companies. Today, it is supported by 160 different sugarcane producing/processing companies that represent 60% of the sugarcane processed in Brazil. The center is also associated with 12,000 farmers who grow sugarcane in Brazil.
The CTC announced that its research priorities for the next ten years include: biotechnology, second generation cellulosic ethanol production, and improved sugarcane varieties adopted for the various sugarcane producing regions of Brazil. During the last five years, CTC has released 20 new sugarcane varieties adapted to 2 million hectares of differing soil types in Brazil. During the next five years, they are planning on releasing new sugarcane varieties adapted to an additional 2 million hectares in Brazil. They also hope to increase the average recoverable sugars from a hectare of sugarcane from the present 12.6 tons per hectare to 16.6 tons per hectare.
On the biotechnology front, the CTC is heavily involved in developing new and cheaper enzymes that are required for cellulosic ethanol production. These enzymes are required to convert cellulose into fermentable sugars. Cellulosic ethanol production, or what is sometimes called second generation ethanol, is produced from plant byproducts or woody material. Cellulosic ethanol in Brazil would be made from the left over stalks of the sugarcane once the juice has been extracted and from the fodder left in the field after harvest. Researchers feel that the total amount of ethanol produced from a hectare of sugarcane can be increased by 40% by utilizing the left over stalks and the fodder in the field.
There is a small cellulosic pilot plant already in operation in Piracicaba, but by 2012, they hope to bring on line an industrial scale cellulosic plant.