Drivers bought more unblended sugar cane ethanol than gas in Brazil in 2008, marking a first in ethanol history.
Brazil’s National Petroleum Agency reported this week that ethanol sales topped gas sales for the first time ever last year. The record reflects a major upswell in ethanol sales in Brazil over the past year, up 44.9 % over 2007.
Cane ethanol sells for half the price of fossil fuel gasoline in Brazil, giving drivers ample incentive to fuel up with the domestically produced cane ethanol. Currently, Brazilians pay around US$2.38/gallon at the pump for ethanol compared with US$4.05 for gasoline.
Brazil produces the world’s greatest supply of ethanol from sugar cane, although the United States produces still more from corn. Consequently, nine out of ten cars in Brazil can run on either gas or ethanol or any combination of the two. In addition to fueling its own fleets, Brazil also exports billions of liters of sugar cane ethanol to Europe and the United States.
Source: AFP via Biofuels Digest
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