title: Second generation ethanol in Brazil: can it compete with electricity production?
abstract: Much of the controversy surrounding second generation ethanol production arises from the assumed competition with first generation ethanol production; however, in Brazil, where bioethanol is produced from sugarcane, sugarcane bagasse and trash will be used as feedstock for second generation ethanol production. Thus, second generation ethanol production may be primarily in competition with electricity production from the lignocellulosic fraction of sugarcane. A preliminary technical and economic analysis of the integrated production of first and second generation ethanol from sugarcane in Brazil is presented and different technological scenarios are evaluated. The analysis showed the importance of the integrated use of sugarcane including the biomass represented by surplus bagasse and trash that can be taken from the field. Second generation ethanol may favorably compete with bioelectricity production when sugarcane trash is used and when low cost enzyme and improved technologies become commercially available.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia do Bioetanol (CTBE), Caixa Postal 6170, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil. marina.dias@bioetanol.org.br
authors.forename: Marina O S
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.forename: Marcelo P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: Charles D F
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Jesus
authors.forename: George J M
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: José Geraldo C
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pradella
authors.forename: Carlos E V
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Rossell
authors.forename: Rubens Maciel
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Filho
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonomi
mesh_terms: D001674:Bioelectric Energy Sources / Q000191:economics*; D056804:Biofuels / Q000191:economics*; D001938:Brazil; D002482:Cellulose / Q000737:chemistry*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D012037:Refuse Disposal / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D000431:Ethanol; D002482:Cellulose; C027433:bagasse