212 Organic waste recycling: technology and management
Due to the high oil prices, world ethanol production has been increasing as
shown in Table 4.26, with Brazil and U.S.A. being the largest producers.
Millions of car that can use gasoline and ethanol interchangeably have been sold
in Brazil, U.S.A., and elsewhere. These cars can use up to 85% ethanol,
compared with 10% ethanol blend with gasoline for normal cars. Case studies of
ethanol production programs in Brazil and U.S.A. are given below:
4.7.3 Case Studies of ethanol production
U.S.A. (Renewable Fuel Association 2006)
In the year 2005, ethanol production in the U.S.A. was 16.14 million m^3. The
major raw material was corns which are grown mainly in the mid-west states.
Due to the high oil prices, the rates of ethanol production has been on the
increasing trend, from 0.66 million m^3 in 1980 to 16.14 million m^3 in 2005,
equivalent to a gross output of US$ 32.2 billion against the investment costs for
corns and other grains and operation-related activities of US$ 5.1 billion. It is
expected that in the year 2012 ethanol production in the U.S.A. will result in:
reduced crude oil imports of 2 billion barrels, creating 234,840 new jobs in the
ethanol production industry and increased household income by US$ 43 billion.
Table 4.26 World ethanol productiona (Renewable Fuel Association 2006)
Countries 2004 2005
Brazil 15.10 16.00
U.S.A. 13.38 16.14
China 3.65 3.80
India 1.75 1.70
France 0.83 0.91
Russia 0.75 0.75
South Africa 0.42 0.39
UK 0.40 0.35
Thailand 0.28 0.30
Others 4.21 5.65
Total 40.76 45.99
a Millions of m 3
Brazil (Wikipedia 2006)
Ethanol production in Brazil in 2005 was 16 million m^3 , about the same as those
in U.S.A., but sugarcane is the major raw material used in ethanol fermentation.
Land used in sugarcane plantation is 45,000 km^2 and annual sugarcane
production is 344 million tons. Half of the harvested sugarcane is used for sugar
production, while the other half is used for ethanol production. From 1978 to