Open AccessEthanol from sugarcane in B razil: a ‘midway’ strategy for increasing ethanol production while maximizing environmental benefits
Author(s) -
Buckeridge Marcos S.,
Souza Amanda P.,
Arundale Rebecca A.,
AndersonTeixeira Kristina J.,
DeLucia Evan
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
gcb bioenergy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.378
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1757-1707
pISSN - 1757-1693
DOI - 10.1111/j.1757-1707.2011.01122.x
Subject(s) - cellulosic ethanol , bagasse , biofuel , ethanol fuel , context (archaeology) , production (economics) , bioenergy , business , microbiology and biotechnology , ecosystem services , sustainability , productivity , agricultural science , ecosystem , environmental science , engineering , ecology , biology , economics , cellulose , paleontology , macroeconomics , chemical engineering
This article reviews the history and current state of ethanol production from sugarcane in B razil and presents a strategy for improving ecosystem services and production. We propose that it is possible to produce ethanol from sugarcane while maintaining or even recovering some of B razil's unique neotropical biodiversity and ecosystem climate services. This approach to the future of sustainable and responsible ethanol production is termed the ‘midway’ strategy. The ‘midway’ strategy involves producing the necessary biotechnology to increase productivity while synergistically protecting and regenerating rainforest. Three main areas of scientific and technological advance that are key to realizing the ‘midway’ strategy are: (i) improving the quality of scientific data on sugarcane biology as pertains to its use as a bioenergy crop; (ii) developing technologies for the use of bagasse for cellulosic ethanol; and (iii) developing policies to improve the ecosystem services associated with sugarcane landscapes. This article discusses these three issues in the general context of biofuels production and highlights examples of scientific achievements that are already leading towards the ‘midway’ strategy.