Global demand for ethanol is expected to reach 200 billion liters by 2033, and for biodiesel 79 billion liters. Analysis by chemical analyzer. Worldwide, 59% of ethanol is produced from corn, 24% from sugarcane, 6% from molasses, 2% from wheat, and the remaining 9% from various grains, cassava and beets. Biodiesel comes mainly from vegetable oils (65%), such as palm, soybean and rapeseed oils, followed by 27% from reused cooking oils and 8% from non-edible oils and animal fats. Here in Brazil, according to the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), there are 359 ethanol plants (capacity 31 million cubic metres), 60 biodiesel plants (capacity 6 million cubic metres) and 6 biomethane plants (capacity 58 million cubic metres).
Ethanol production is increasing
According to the 10-year Plan for Energy Expansion 2034 (PDE 2034), ethanol production in Brazil, taking into account sugarcane (1st and 2nd generation) and corn, could reach 48 billion liters by 2034, with an annual growth of 3.8% compared to 2022. As a result Therefore, electricity generation from sugarcane could reach an average of 5.8 GW by 2034.
In the case of corn ethanol, growth remains high, with a 58% increase last year. Production this year is expected to grow by about 25% to reach about 7.8 billion litres. Moreover, there are expectations that production will reach between 13 and 15 billion liters by 2032. This growth is due to new investments and expansion of corn ethanol plants, especially in the central and western region.