Biofuels

The times of green-yellow oil

Brazil opens to the world the doors of a renewable and profitable energy as an alternative to gasoline

By: KATIA MONTEAGUDO
nacionales@bohemia.co.cu

(June 15, 2006)

The first car made by Henry Ford during the early 20th century functioned on ethanol. Between 1956 and 1962 Cuban transportation used this component that native humor called it mofuco. This term is still referred to in chemical texts as “a mixture of alcohol with gasoline that was prepared in Cuba during the 50s”.

But the invention of the great magnate and commercial initiative of the distilleries in the Caribbean Island did not last. They fell rapidly to the influx of oil and its derivatives that were plentiful and cheap, during the happy years of the oil empire.

What could have been the great business of the century was set back to a waiting list, a product that was less harmful to the environment.

The world had to suffer several conflicts for ideas about the international development of biofuels to take hold. These are defined as any solid, liquid or gaseous substance obtained from organic matter, from plants or industrial, commercial, domestic or agricultural waste.

Luckily or not, the third millennium relied more on the industry of oil and prices per barrels flew skyward.  Also, reserves of the fossil resource got scarcer. Since then, humankind urgently opens the door to resources of renewable energy.

The Brazilian spark

During the first world crisis of oil in 1973 some countries revived interest on biofuels. Brazil was outstanding among them.

The South American giant, battered by its almost total dependence on foreign oil, imposed the massive use of gasoline with sugar-produced ethanol.

At the same time government leaders defined the Pro alcohol program granting funds and soft loans for sugar companies to build more plants. The Air Force researcher, Urbano Ernesto Stumpf, designed a motor that worked exclusively with the vegetable fuel. By November of 1976 the first three cars using this fuel traveled along the roads from Sao Paulo to Manaos.

But other world situations sped up the energy project during the end of the 70s. The industries had to increase production. PETROBRAS began the sale of ethanol in its gas stations and car manufacturers received tax incentives to massively produce vehicles that worked on biofuels.

Between ups and downs

In Brazil, during the 80s, alcohol cost much less than gasoline. But by mid decade, oil prices plummeted and checkmated all proposed goals.

Quite a few thought it was a failure although the ethanol market never disappeared because it continued to be of obligatory compliance to combine it with refined fossil crude.

Also, the sugar industry took on other manners of reducing costs. It developed varieties that were resistant to plagues and droughts. It used bagasse to generate electricity and fertilized crops with must. In 1975 one hectare of sugarcane yielded two thousand liters of ethanol. Today that figure has gone up to six thousand.

Fuel-flexible stroke

With the new millennium, won its leadership again although the ghost of the 80s was still around and quite a few were not convinced that it would keep low priced.

Two years later, engineer Fernando Damasceno of the Magneti Marelli plant hit on the key problem. He designed a piece that would allow all vehicles to use any mixture.

Between April and June of 2004, Volkswagen (VW) and General Motors (GM) placed the first fuel-flexible cars on the market. By this measure it strategically assured the internal market and broadened the possibility of exporting vehicles, alcohol and vehicle technology.

Successful bets

With this initiative, Brazil saves about 180 thousand barrels of gasoline per day. A saving that represents four billion dollars also preventing the emission of 24 million tons of carbon dioxide.

Currently three quarters of cars sold are flexible models and ethanol is available from Rio de Janeiro to the Amazon.

Sugar cane is the ideal raw material for production of this vegetable oil since the country has broad expanses of land, hand labor and water. For the coming harvest, more than half its plantations will be destined to manufacturing the most efficient biofuel in the world, followed by another derived from corn.

In the next three years 45 new plants will be set up at a cost of billions of dollars for the production of ethanol and sugar. At the end of this period, ethanol totals are calculated in 18.7 billion liters, a volume reserved for the internal market of this giant and incipient international commitments. 

With this renewable fuel and oil from the high seas as well as immense water resources have made Brazil an energy independent nation.

Cuban Triad

Since Diego Velázquez brought the first sugar cane, it has always been the most valuable product for the Island, even during these times, when it is no longer considered to be the driving force of the country. But, since sugar still courses through its veins, the news that the Mielera Heriberto Duquesne company of Villa Clara is producing alcohol from the sugar juice by-product.

The crux of the matter was that, for the first time, Cuba applied – with certain modifications – the technological principles of the Brazilian plants, pioneers in development and flexible production scheme of both sugar and/or ethanol.

Based on these ideas, the Sugar Industry Ministry (MINAZ) and native technicians adapted the mills of the plant to obtain two types of guarapo. This changes offers the possibility of milling crude sugar and obtain its fuel derivative. Traditionally alcohol is obtained by the end product, molasses.

With this method, the company produced half its plan – calculated in about one hundred thousand hectoliters. Also a higher quality exportable grain was obtained not contaminated with musts as well as sufficient bagasse to generate electricity for its factories and refining centrifuges for the Chiquitico Fabregat sugar mill that is five kilometers away.

Today, alcohol is used to produce rums, medicines and perfume although for many years it had been used for combustion in the Pike kerosene cookers. Currently, total production in Cuba does not surpass the million hectoliters. In the next harvest other Cuban distilleries will apply this technology.

The experience of the Heriberto Duquesne company its technical and economic concepts are viable for the Cuban industry that is now revolutionizing productions of biofuels and sugar for export. But, investments are necessary.

This result links easily with the MINAZ policy of developing a strategic core from the sweet grain, alcohol and electric energy derived from bagasse. The Triad could prove to be another driving force in the country.