title: Current status of biodiesel development in Brazil.
abstract: In recent years, the concept of producing biodiesel from renewable lipid sources has regained international attention. In Brazil, a national program was launched in 2002 to evaluate the technical, economic, and environmental competitiveness of biodiesel in relation to the commercially available diesel oil. Several research projects were initiated nationwide to investigate and/or optimize biodiesel production from renewable lipid sources and ethanol derived from sugarcane (ethyl esters). Once implemented, this program will not only decrease our dependence on petroleum derivatives but also create new market opportunities for agribusiness, opening new jobs in the countryside, improving the sustainability of our energy matrix, and helping the Brazilian government to support important actions against poverty. This article discusses the efforts to develop the Brazilian biodiesel program in the context of technical specifications as well as potential oilseed sources.
authors.affiliation: Research Center in Applied Chemistry (CEPESQ), Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, PO Box 19081, 81531.990 Curitiba, PR, Brazil. lramos@quimica.ufpr.br
authors.forename: Luiz Pereira
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Helena Maria
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000191:economics* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D001938:Brazil; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000191:economics*; D002482:Cellulose / Q000191:economics; D004736:Energy-Generating Resources / Q000191:economics*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000191:economics*; D005742:Gasoline / Q000191:economics; D031786:Saccharum
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D005742:Gasoline; D000431:Ethanol; D002482:Cellulose; C027433:bagasse