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Bitter sweet: How sustainable is bio-ethanol production in Brazil?

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  • Azadi, Hossein
  • de Jong, Sanne
  • Derudder, Ben
  • De Maeyer, Philippe
  • Witlox, Frank

Abstract

While biofuels have currently been regarded as a good alternative for fossil fuels, there remain many debates on their impacts on human and environment. This paper tried to shed light on bio-ethanol in Brazil as one of the main producers and exporters in the world. The main question was to understand “how sustainable is bio-ethanol production in Brazil?” To answer, the political motives of producing bio-ethanol followed by its ecological and socio-economic impacts were discussed. The paper concluded that although bio-ethanol production in Brazil seems environmentally friendly, it might socio-economically be hazardous.

Suggested Citation

  • Azadi, Hossein & de Jong, Sanne & Derudder, Ben & De Maeyer, Philippe & Witlox, Frank, 2012. "Bitter sweet: How sustainable is bio-ethanol production in Brazil?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(6), pages 3599-3603.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:16:y:2012:i:6:p:3599-3603
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2012.03.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Egle Gusciute & Ger Devlin & Fionnuala Murphy & Kevin McDonnell, 2014. "Transport sector in Ireland: can 2020 national policy targets drive indigenous biofuel production to success?," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 3(3), pages 310-322, May.
    3. Hossein Azadi & Fatemeh Taheri & Stefan Burkart & Hossein Mahmoudi & Philippe De Maeyer & Frank Witlox, 2021. "Impact of agricultural land conversion on climate change," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 3187-3198, March.
    4. Alkimim, Akenya & Clarke, Keith C., 2018. "Land use change and the carbon debt for sugarcane ethanol production in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 65-73.
    5. Cristian Youlton & Edson Wendland & Jamil Alexandre Ayach Anache & Carlos Poblete-Echeverría & Seth Dabney, 2016. "Changes in Erosion and Runoff due to Replacement of Pasture Land with Sugarcane Crops," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(7), pages 1-12, July.
    6. Vanschoenwinkel, Janka & Lizin, Sebastien & Swinnen, Gilbert & Azadi, Hossein & Van Passel, Steven, 2014. "Solar cooking in Senegalese villages: An application of best–worst scaling," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 447-458.
    7. Morais, Ricardo R. & Pascoal, Aline M. & Pereira-Júnior, Marcos A. & Batista, Karla A. & Rodriguez, Armando G. & Fernandes, Kátia F., 2019. "Bioethanol production from Solanum lycocarpum starch: A sustainable non-food energy source for biofuels," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 361-366.
    8. Mayer, Flávio Dias & Feris, Liliana Amaral & Marcilio, Nilson Romeu & Hoffmann, Ronaldo, 2015. "Why small-scale fuel ethanol production in Brazil does not take off?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 687-701.
    9. Masum, B.M. & Masjuki, H.H. & Kalam, M.A. & Rizwanul Fattah, I.M. & Palash, S.M. & Abedin, M.J., 2013. "Effect of ethanol–gasoline blend on NOx emission in SI engine," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 209-222.
    10. Musaab O. El-Faroug & Fuwu Yan & Maji Luo & Richard Fiifi Turkson, 2016. "Spark Ignition Engine Combustion, Performance and Emission Products from Hydrous Ethanol and Its Blends with Gasoline," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-24, November.

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