Year after year, the biodiesel sector in Brazil is advancing. This is also due to frequent increases in the mixture in recent years. Brazil will produce nearly 10 billion liters of biodiesel in 2025, according to a recent forecast made by the president of the Supreme Council of the Brazilian Biodiesel and Biokerosene Union (UBRABIO), Juan Diego Ferres. “Today we produce just over 9 billion liters. The accumulated production of biodiesel in Brazil is 77 billion liters during the 20 years of the National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB). This accumulated production means 244 million tons of milled soybeans.
Obstacles
However, the obstacles that prevent this productive segment from continuing to grow are still many. Starting with production costs, they are high, especially due to the reliance on raw materials such as soybean oil and beef fat, which suffer from price fluctuations in the global market. Therefore, encouraging the use of alternative raw materials, such as waste oil and local oilseed mills, is challenging due to lack of infrastructure and technology. The issue of logistics and infrastructure
Collecting and transporting raw materials, especially in remote areas, is limited and expensive. Not to mention, the infrastructure for storing and distributing biofuels, integrated into the fossil fuel distribution system, still needs improvement.
In the case of environmental issues, the expansion of soybean monoculture for biodiesel production could lead to deforestation, loss of biodiversity and other environmental impacts. There are concerns about using arable land to grow biodiesel crops, competing with food production, and putting pressure on rural communities.
Organization and public policies
Despite policies such as RenovaBio and the gradual increase in the mandatory blend of biodiesel in diesel, regulatory instability and sudden changes in blend targets create insecurity for investors.
The need for greater supervision to ensure biodiesel quality and prevent adulteration is also a challenge. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to: increase investments in research and technological innovation, promote stable public policies and tax incentives, diversify sources of raw materials and promote the circular economy, improve logistics and supply chain infrastructure, and encourage public awareness about these challenges. Benefits of biodiesel.
Merian Tommy Canal Journal of Bioenergy
