Strength in diversity? Past dynamics and future drivers affecting demand for sugar, ethanol, biogas and bioelectricity from Brazil's sugarcane sector

Autor(es)

Hughes, Nick ^[1] ; Mutran, Victoria Morgado ^[2] ; Tomei, Julia ^[1] ; Ribeiro, Celma de Oliveira ^[2] ; Oller do Nascimento, Claudio Augusto ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] UCL, UCL Inst Sustainable Resources, Upper Woburn Pl, London WC1H 0NN - England

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Polytech Sch, Prod Engn Dept, Av Prof Almeida Prado, Trav 2 128, Cidade Univ, BR-05508070 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Polytech Sch, Chem Engn Dept, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 580, Cidade Univ, BR-05434070 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: BIOMASS & BIOENERGY; v. 141, OCT 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 1

Resumo

Brazil's sugarcane sector is a significant source of employment, and operates at the intersection of energy, agriculture and land use. Its future development will be affected by the values, decisions and actions of key actors. Accordingly, we report on the results of qualitative semi-structured interviews with 19 participants with expertise in relation to Brazil's sugarcane sector. We used visual aids, and reflections on past events, to structure and contextualise discussions about the future prospects for the sector as a whole, and for four of its potential products - sugar, ethanol, electricity and biogas. Interviews revealed general expectations of continued growth in the sector, particularly for its energy-related products. However, the possibility of future challenges and tensions is still evident. We suggest three inter-related areas for ongoing reflection. First, there may be value in balancing the desire for minimal intervention, technology neutral styles of policy, with the need for policy that is clear, long-term and impactful. In some cases, more targeted policies for particular actors or emergent technologies, may also be justified. Second, increased clarity on the broader objectives for the sector, including the relative prioritisation of economic, social and environmental objectives, may help industry to make the long term investments consistent with the kind of deep innovation for which there is potential. Third, it is worth reflecting on how the above issues in combination can be leveraged into a global leadership strategy, with consideration of the relative robustness of different leadership strategies within broader emerging global dynamics. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/50684-9 - Sustainable gas pathways for Brazil: from microcosm to macrocosm
• Beneficiário: Reinaldo Giudici
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 17/17530-3 - Planejamento de produção em usinas de cana-de-açúcar: novas tecnologias de biogás e decisões ótimas
• Beneficiário: Victoria Morgado Mutran
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado Direto