Positive scenario for biofuel
Valor Econômico
The scenario for the biofuels may change as of 2010, with the recovery of the global economy and the greater willingness of the developed countries in debating the climatic changes. "Today, the production is concentrated in USA and in Brazil, but there are incentives from developed countries to stimulate the production of biofuels in Africa, whose weather is very similar to the Brazilian", affirmed Adriano Pires, director of the Brazilian Center of Infrastructure (CBI).
A study made by Pires and Rafael Schechtman, also of the CBI, shows the concentration of the production of biofuels tends to decrease, since many countries have stimulated the use of biofuels due to the environmental issue.
A common goal of all governments is the reduction of the emission of the greenhouse gases and energetic security, with the diversification of the sources. Unica (Union of the Sugar-cane Industry) discloses this study today, in Brasilia, in the seminar organized by the entity.
Between 2000 and 2008, the production of ethanol registered an increase of 18.6% a year, on the average, and an increase of 37.3% in the production of biodiesel. The global offer of ethanol achieved 67 billion liters in 2008 and the offer of biodiesel, 12 billion. These volumes are equivalent to nearly 920 thousand barrels/day of oil, or 1.1% of the world production of the fossil fuel. The USA and Brazil represent, together, nearly 90% of the world production of ethanol. With regard to biodiesel, Germany stands out with the production of 2.2 billion liters representing 18% of the world production in 2008. The production of biodiesel has been dominated by the European Union (EU) that is responsible for two thirds of the global offer.
According to Pires, Brazil should lead the process, including regarding the transference of agricultural and industrial technology. Pires observes in his study that a great part of the countries producing biofuels benefit from public policies with the financial support in the form of tax exemption or reduction or grant of aids, and quotas to stimulate the local production. Many also impose commercial restrictions in the form of customer charges to the imports.
An important point emphasized in the study is that, in many countries, the biofuels, as most of the new alternative sources, have a significantly higher cost if compared to the cost of the oil byproducts, which partly justifies the incentives provided.