This chart was used by Mr. Isaias Macedo, from Brazil's CTC/Copersucar, during a presentation at the "Seminar on Fuel Ethanol" in Washington, D.C., in December, 2001.It analyzes expected efficiency gains (as of 2001) in the production of ethanol as a fuel in Brazil.
On the agricultural side, gains of 12% were expected in the number of tons of sugarcane per hectare (tc/ha), while improved milling processes were expected to improve production by 7% (pol/tc).
Mr. Macedo projected that mechanization would advance from 3% to 50% in the planting phase; from 27% to 70% in the harvesting stage; and from 30% to 90% in the transportation stage (taking into consideration equipment, systems, and operations management).
On the industrial side, Mr. Macedo forecast an improvement in industrial conversion from 86% to 89%, while process automation would be elevated to 85%, from its current level of 50%.
Addressing the energy concerns behind these processes, Mr. Macedo projected that bagasse (crushed sugar cane) would power up to 25% of ethanol production from sugar cane, with the use of foliage and straw providing extra power.
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1 comment:
This is very ambitious indeed. But when looking at the graph about Brazil's ethanol efficiency gains (the 'learning curve'), its not unthinkable to see a similar trend in the future.
Just think of what would happen if developing countries elsewhere in South America, Africa and Asia were to learn from Brazil and close technology transfer deals.
Take Central Africa. The region has vast potential, but agricultural techniques there are absolutely inefficient. According to the FAO, African farmers could yield up to three times more (all common crops), if only they were to implement basic farming techniques, like using (organic) fertilizer, for a start.
There is a lot of potential, but we need Brazil to help kickstart the biofuels revolution elsewhere in the South.
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