Isaura Daniel*
Sمo Paulo - Brazilian ethanol production was mentioned in the majority of the lectures given yesterday (23) during the International Ethanol Workshop, held in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. The information was disclosed by the operations manager at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Rodrigo Solano, and by the Chamber's market development analyst, Jean Gonçalves da Silva, who participated in the meeting as guests, and are currently in the Arab country to attend the Khartoum International Fair, which begins today (24).
According to Solano, Brazil was cited as an example in ethanol production by the Sudanese minister of Industry, Galal Yyosif Al Degair, who kicked off the workshop. The executive director at the International Sugar Organization (ISO), Peter Baron, also named Brazil as one of the countries currently developing new technologies in the field, and claimed that the country is presently the only one capable of exporting ethanol. He reported on how alcohol is distributed in Brazil via gas stations.
Baron also said it will be difficult for new producing countries to compete with Brazil in the international alcohol market, since the country is able to sell a litre of the fuel for US$ 0.25, whereas others countries charge US$ 0.30. The executive director at ISO, who also works in England for the Kenana Sugar Company, Sudan's largest sugar company, listed the following countries as currently investing in ethanol: Brazil, India, Thailand, China, Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, the Philippines, Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda.
Baron also stated that Brazil is the world's largest consumer of ethanol, and made projections for 2010. According to him, by 2010 the country will be consuming 27 billion litres of ethanol. Last year, Brazil consumed 14 billion litres. The United States, which consumed 14.7 billion litres in 2005, should reach 25 billion by 2010. The European Union will go up from 1.5 billion to 14 billion, China will leap from one billion to five billion, and Japan will consume six billion litres in 2010. The executive director mentioned the Brazilian invention of the dualfuel engine, known as flex-fuel.
Ethanol in Sudan
Sudan promoted the workshop because it is interested in being a producer of ethanol. There are already ongoing projects and experiments in the field, most of them being conducted by Kenana, a Sudanese, privately-owned company engaged in large-scale sugar production. These efforts, according to minister Al Degair, are part of the country's quest for alternative energy sources. Sudan is also a producer of oil. The country ratified the Kyoto Protocol, a global commitment to reducing pollutant emission, which became effective in February 2005.
According to Solano, the Sudanese are well informed regarding Brazilian ethanol, and there is space in the country for establishing partnerships aimed at producing ethanol. "They are quite motivated. There is concern about adopting green energy and reducing reliance on oil," claims the operations manager at the Arab Brazilian Chamber. The workshop was promoted by the ministries of Industry and of Energy and Mining along with the Kenana Sugar Company. The Arab Brazilian Chamber representatives should pay a visit to the company's premises toward the end of this week.
Fair
Khartoum International Fair, also promoted by the government of Sudan, kicks off today and will go on until February 2nd. The Arab Brazilian Chamber will have a stand in the fair, aimed at promoting Brazilian exports and the country's relations with Sudan. Several Brazilian companies sent catalogues and samples of their products to be showcased at the stand.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
