OPEC president downplays ethanol but Brazilian counterpart disagrees
Quicknote ethanol potential
A few days ago we reported about Edmund Daukoru's visit to Brazil's ethanol producing regions. The president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries on Thursday reiterated his interest in Brazilian ethanol technology, but downplayed the future role of the biofuel in the world's energy matrix. Daukoru, who is also Nigeria's oil minister, was visiting ethanol installations in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo state.
"Nigeria currently is working to create a reliable ethanol market together with local private companies," Daukoru said. Yet, he added that at first, Nigeria was interested in the usage of ethanol for the energy matrix of companies, and not yet as gasoline additive. Asked what the role of ethanol in the global energy matrix will be in 10 or 20 years, Daukoru said that although its importance will grow, it will likely only play a minor role.
"In terms of actual percentages, it will still be a minor component," Daukoru said. "I would not see a very dramatic percentage that will be met by bioethanol. I think it will remain modest, small to modest."
Despite downplaying the future role of ethanol, just the presence of the OPEC president in Brazil's main sugar cane- and ethanol-producing region already had a major importance, said Jaime Finguerito, head of research and development at the cane technology center in Piracicaba.
"It shows that ethanol gets the respect of the most important representative of the global petroleum industry," Finguerito said. Finguerito added that Daukoru told him that the oil price was unlikely to fall below $30 a barrel again, which would make an international ethanol market viable.
Brazil is the world's biggest exporter of ethanol, and its second-biggest producer. Daukoru is heading a committee for the implementation of an ethanol program in his country, which is supported by Brazil's state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR), or Petrobras.
The Brazilian oil company plans to export ethanol made from sugarcane to Nigeria, while at the same time helping the African country to build its own ethanol industry. Petrobras Downstream Director Paulo Roberto Costa told Dow Jones Newswires in July that the company plans to start ethanol shipments to Nigeria in August or September.
Daukoru on Thursday made no comment on possible ethanol shipments to Nigeria, and emphasized that his main interest was the transfer of Brazilian ethanol technology to the African country. Daukoru went on to visit an ethanol plant in Piracicaba run by Brazil's only publicly traded sugar and ethanol company Cosan SA.
For a more extensive analysis of the OPEC president's visit, see: ANBA: The whole world is going to mix alcohol into petrol, said the Opec president - August 18, 2006
[Entry ends here].
ethanol :: biomass :: bioenergy :: biofuels :: energy :: sustainability :: :: Brazil :: Nigeria :: OPEC ::
A few days ago we reported about Edmund Daukoru's visit to Brazil's ethanol producing regions. The president of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries on Thursday reiterated his interest in Brazilian ethanol technology, but downplayed the future role of the biofuel in the world's energy matrix. Daukoru, who is also Nigeria's oil minister, was visiting ethanol installations in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo state.
"Nigeria currently is working to create a reliable ethanol market together with local private companies," Daukoru said. Yet, he added that at first, Nigeria was interested in the usage of ethanol for the energy matrix of companies, and not yet as gasoline additive. Asked what the role of ethanol in the global energy matrix will be in 10 or 20 years, Daukoru said that although its importance will grow, it will likely only play a minor role.
"In terms of actual percentages, it will still be a minor component," Daukoru said. "I would not see a very dramatic percentage that will be met by bioethanol. I think it will remain modest, small to modest."
Despite downplaying the future role of ethanol, just the presence of the OPEC president in Brazil's main sugar cane- and ethanol-producing region already had a major importance, said Jaime Finguerito, head of research and development at the cane technology center in Piracicaba.
"It shows that ethanol gets the respect of the most important representative of the global petroleum industry," Finguerito said. Finguerito added that Daukoru told him that the oil price was unlikely to fall below $30 a barrel again, which would make an international ethanol market viable.
Brazil is the world's biggest exporter of ethanol, and its second-biggest producer. Daukoru is heading a committee for the implementation of an ethanol program in his country, which is supported by Brazil's state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PBR), or Petrobras.
The Brazilian oil company plans to export ethanol made from sugarcane to Nigeria, while at the same time helping the African country to build its own ethanol industry. Petrobras Downstream Director Paulo Roberto Costa told Dow Jones Newswires in July that the company plans to start ethanol shipments to Nigeria in August or September.
Daukoru on Thursday made no comment on possible ethanol shipments to Nigeria, and emphasized that his main interest was the transfer of Brazilian ethanol technology to the African country. Daukoru went on to visit an ethanol plant in Piracicaba run by Brazil's only publicly traded sugar and ethanol company Cosan SA.
For a more extensive analysis of the OPEC president's visit, see: ANBA: The whole world is going to mix alcohol into petrol, said the Opec president - August 18, 2006
[Entry ends here].
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