Sergio Paranhos is working at Sucral, a Brazilian company involved in the process of sugarcane/bioethanol production. The company is giving advices and expertise for 40 years especially in the developings around biofuels made from sugarcane. You will find the interview just following.
Q1. Sucral works in the whole ethanol productive chain. Could you precise me what is exactly your role in the company?
Sucral Engenharia e Processos acts in the whole productive chain of ethanol, sugar and co generation of energy (due to the burning of sugarcane bagasse left after ethanol and sugar production) and, nowadays, a product as important as ethanol.
As those productive chains have sugarcane as raw material, it is on this sector that I concentrate my activities of research, consultancy and technical assistance concerning all phases of sugarcane production.
Q2. Is sugarcane ethanol a reasonable substitute for petroleum fuels?
In a simple way and without considering technical details (that are available):
Ethanol is a renewable source of energy that can perfectly replace petroleum fuels (exhaustible source of energy), because whilst fossil fuels take C (carbon) from subterranean fossil deposits that will later be released on the atmosphere, to produce ethanol the sugarcane takes a great deal of this carbon (CO2) from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. A part of it is stored on ground by the biomass, and part of it, in the production process. And the release of this carbon to the atmosphere after ethanol burning is much less significant, with a considerable reduction on the negative environmental impacts, besides having a perfectly compatible energetic potential.
The comparison between those different sources of energy is transferred to the social economic field of costs and production and market strategies. When used in engines from the Otto cycle, in Brazil, ethanol must cost 70% in comparison to gasoline (most popular fuel for small cars), considering ethanol has a higher consumption level than gasoline.
Q3. What is the Brazilian government position in regard to ethanol production? Is there still subsides/credits?
To already established projects and new “green fields” projects, there are governmental incentives, to the industry (BNDES) as well we to agriculture (costing, mecanization, irrigation, etc).
Q4. Does the federal government impose production patterns, such as Sao Paulo state government, that forbids the burning of straw before the harvest?
The prohibition on pre harvest straw burning on Sao Paulo state stems from the need to reduce the environmental impact of this practice (nowadays almost extinguished on this state). It also contributed to the technical development of sugarcane processing. Nowadays, this practice is being spread to all new sugarcane crops.
The end of burning stimulated the machine industry to adapt its models to the harvest of “crude sugarcane”. By not burning the straw before the harvest, there is more material to be burnt at the industries and therefore produce more electric energy (co generation).
Quality control of final products (sugar and ethanol) are made through the observation of all specifications required by the internal market as well as to export.
Quality guarantee is stimulated by the producer payment system, based on the amount of TRS (theoretical recoverable sugar).
Q5. How important is the area dedicated to sugarcane crops in Brazil?
The chart below illustrates the distribution and qualification of lands in Brazil and how they are being used with sugarcane culture to produce ethanol, sugar, spirits, etc…
| Land occupation in the Brazilian territory |
| Brazil = 8,514,877 km2 |
| Amazon Forest = 3.6 millions of km2 |
| Agriculturable land = 152.5 millions of ha or 17,9 % of all territory |
| Agriculturable land currently in use = 62.5 millions of ha or 7,3 % of all territory |
| Permanent agriculture = 15 millions of ha or 1.8 % of all territory |
| Planted forests = 5 millions of ha or 0.6 % of all territory |
| Agriculturable land available not used = 90 millions of ha or 10.5 % of all territory |
| Pasture = 177 milhões de ha ou 20.8 % of all territory |
| Native forests or natural reserves = 440 millions of ha or 53 % of all territory |
** Sugarcane culture currently occupies an average of 8,6000 ha
Q6. How do you evaluate the impacts of sugarcane crops aimed at producing ethanol? Especially in what concerns CO2 emissions from the production itself, as well as from the deforestation process?
Q9. How do you evaluate the effects of the new Codigo Florestal in sugarcane culture (Law project concerning the forests)?
A6 & A9. Once there is already a technical zoning defining the expansion of sugarcane crops, the introduction of sugarcane in new areas (with adapted or more developed technologies) have shown positive effects on the production (or recovering) of degraded areas as well as in those defined to have a technical, economical and socially sustainable exploration.
Areas covered with native forests are not envisaged by the sugarcane expansion, once you consider the inadaptability of the Amazon region climate as well.
Q7. And vinasse? Is there a control over its disposal in most part of the industries?
Q8. Is altering sugarcane with other cultures a common practice?
Q10. Is there a significant difference in the sugarcane culture in different parts of the country?
A8 & A10. There are significant differences in sugarcane culture in the main sugarcane regions in the country (Southeast and South, Middlewest and Northeast)
Climate differences determine that planting and harvest must occur in different moments, as well as the adubation and irrigation are particular to each type of soil and its water disposal. Genetic improvement programs have also the goal to produce new varieties adapted to each region’s conditions.
The last chart shows the distances and where the regions are located.
A7 & A8. Vinasse and culture rotation are part of the cultural techniques that can change between each sugarcane productive region.
Vinasse was before thrown away as a highly polluting residuum. Nowadays it is used (as the filter pie) as an outstanding organic mineral fertiliser (great source of potassium K20 and organic material), used as fertirrigation, once it irrigates besides fertilising.
Both (vinasse and filter pie) represent significant cost reductionwith chemical fertilisers.
Culture rotation is another practice that can be found in some regions with great results once using some legumes (soy, peanut, etc) contribute to the amount of nitrogen in the soil, which is very useful to the next sugarcane crop, besides protecting the soil from erosion during the period without sugarcane. It also provides revenues that can be used to pay the next sugarcane plantation.
Q11. Are indirect emissions taken into account when Sucral assesses a land that may/will be used as sugarcane crop?
There is the need to conceptualize what is considered when you estimate CO2 indirect emissions, because in what concerns biofuels (ethanol), the emissions in the sugarcane production process must be taken into consideration and there is not yet a complete calculation regarding this question.
Currently Sucral includes in its projects, in the item “economical aspects”, an estimative of participation in carbon credits market.
There is not yet safe and complete calculation to quantify GHG indirect emissions, because as said before, there must be considered the agricultural aspects of the raw material production: sugarcane.
Q12. Do Sucral clients ask for this kind of estimative?
We have no client request in this sense. Currently, inclusion in the carbon credit markets has been enough.
Q13. There are different methods used to calculate GHG indirect emissions. If you use one of them which one is it?
At least in what concerns renewable sources of energy (bio fuels, etc), the criteria to define the best evaluation methods are being analyzed, but as far as we know, there is nothing official or definitive.
Q14. Some countries are taking into account the indirect emissions issue in order to establish their energy policies. Does it affect in any way Sucral’s work?
Many countries are focusing in GHG emissions when defining their energy policies. See enclosed study that may help you with this issue.
Q15. How do you evaluate GHG indirect emissions and the calculation models?
GHG indirect emissions really represent an important component in the global evaluation of energetic balance in renewable energy production. In what concerns ethanol and co generation, we are sure about the viability of the program under all aspects (technical, social, economical, sustainable, etc), but doubtless the improvement of calculation methods as well as the introduction of new technologies, will contribute to evidence and precise more positive aspects of renewable sources of energy.