What does Brazil use to make ethanol?

Brazil produces ethanol primarily from sugarcane. Sugarcane is a tropical grass that is widely cultivated in Brazil due to its favourable climate and abundant land resources. The ethanol production process involves several steps:

1. Harvesting and Crushing: Mature sugarcane is harvested and transported to sugar mills. At the mills, the sugarcane is crushed to extract its juice.

2. Juice Extraction: The sugarcane juice is extracted by passing the crushed sugarcane through a series of rollers. The juice contains sucrose, water, and other impurities.

3. Fermentation: The extracted sugarcane juice is diluted and treated to adjust its sugar content. Yeast, a microorganism, is added to the juice, which initiates the fermentation process. During fermentation, the yeast converts the sugars in the juice into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

4. Distillation: The fermented juice undergoes distillation to separate the ethanol from the water and other impurities. Distillation involves heating the fermented juice, vaporizing the ethanol, and then condensing it back into liquid form.

5. Dehydration: The ethanol obtained from distillation still contains some water. To produce pure ethanol, the water content must be further reduced. Dehydration is achieved through molecular sieves or other dehydration techniques.

6. Blending: The produced ethanol is blended with gasoline in specific ratios to create ethanol-blended fuel, commonly known as gasohol. In Brazil, gasohol is widely used as a transportation fuel.

The use of sugarcane for ethanol production in Brazil has several advantages. Sugarcane is a renewable resource, and its cultivation can contribute to rural development and job creation. Additionally, ethanol produced from sugarcane has a lower carbon footprint compared to fossil fuels, making it a more sustainable transportation fuel option.