Assessing the current Brazilian sugarcane industry and directing developments for maximum fossil fuel mitigation for the international petrochemical market

The EU proposes that 5.75% of the transportation fuels market consist of biofuels by 2010 and the USA proposes that all gasoline be blended with 10% bioethanol by 2012. While these targets have not yet been reached, an aura of critique is emerging, arguing that biofuel mandates are not sustainable. One of the major ensuing topics surrounding biofuel sustainability is the food versus fuel debate in reference to first-generation (or food-based) technology. This article will reveal that for the specific case of sugarcane in Brazil, first-generation bioethanol is more sustainable than expansion to include second-generation (non-food-based) technology. Two life cycle assessments are conducted. First, a cradle-to-factory gate analysis with focus on fossil fuel reduction potential. Fertile land is consumed and occupied by all biomass crops; the biomass option with the highest mitigation potential per land can be considered the most sustainable and least intrusive to food production. Ethanol, on average, can mitigate 104GJ/ha/a, which is equivalent to 17 barrels of oil annually. This can increase to 353GJ/ha/a for the foreseeable best practice situations, higher than the second-generation option. A first-step chemical biorefinery producing ethylene achieves 509GJ/ha/a. Second, the BASF-developed eco-efficiency model, which links both environmental impacts and economic profitability in one, easy-to-interpret graph, is used as validation. Overall it is calculated that a best practice first-generation ethanol and its later dehydration to ethylene are the most eco-efficient options. The biobased economy deserves highly specific assessments. (C) 2009 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd