The Sustainability of Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol: The Contribution of the Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE)

The Sustainability of Brazilian Sugarcane Ethanol: the Contribution of the Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE)

Manoel Regis Lima Verde Leal, Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE), Campinas, SP, Brazil

regis.leal@bioetanol.org.br

The Brazilian Bioethanol Science and Technology Laboratory (CTBE) was created in 2010 by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) as a research institution to fill the gaps in science and technology that had been identified in the production chain of sugarcane ethanol. As a national laboratory it is open to receive outside researchers, from universities, research centers and private companies, to use its facilities and staff expertise. The handling of the key technology gaps had been distributed in five divisions working in close association and focusing on improving the sustainability of our main biofuel:

• Biomass Production: designing a new concept of agricultural mechanization for sugarcane to reduce the production costs, negative impacts on the soil, greenhouse gas emissions and use of fertilizers and chemicals.

• Biomass Processing: develop the complete processing chain of sugarcane residues to second generation ethanol (2G), counting on a very flexible pilot plant and several supporting laboratories; the 2G ethanol is expected to decrease the production costs and land demand.

• Functional Biology, Biotechnology, and Biophysics: understanding the sugarcane plant physiology, cell wall structure and deconstruction and enzyme production.

• Integrated Evaluation of Biorefineries: process simulation for 1G/2G ethanol and other products from sugarcane.

• Sustainability of the Production of Biomass and Bioenergy: GHG emissions Lifecycle Analysis, land use change dynamics, soil carbon stock and emissions, impacts on water availability and quality, biodiversity and socioeconomic issues.

As a young institution CTBE has already been able to demonstrate that it is possible to bring the private sector and academia together in the search for more sustainable alternatives of bioenergy production from sugarcane. The mains projects in development will be briefly presented as well as the main partnerships with universities and private companies.