Engenho
Brazil has a long tradition in the cultivation of sugar cane. So came in 1625, the entire import sugar into Europe from Brazil. Brazil is today by far the largest producer of sugarcane worldwide:
In Brazil, no sugar beets are grown, but the sugar industry based on sugar cane. The six largest producing countries of sugarcane in 2005 (1,000 metric tons ):
- Brazil ( 420 121 )
- India ( 232 320 )
- China ( 92,130 )
- Thailand ( 49 572 )
- Pakistan ( 47 244 )
- Mexico ( 45 127 )
The share of world sugar production 2003/2004 amounted to about 1 / 6th Brazil produced 2003/2004 approximately 24.4 million tons of sugar. Even still intends Brazil's sugar industry significant production expansions.
In the states of São Paulo and Paraná approximately 85 % of the total sugar cane production are concentrated. The cultivated area is about 5.6 million hectares ( 2004).
Sugarcane is, however, not only produced in Brazil sugar, but also the production of bioethanol is worth mentioning. With an output of 40 million m³ ( 2004) Brazil is the bioethanol production worldwide behind the U.S. at number 2, 2007, the sugar cane harvest in Brazil, 558 million tons, an increase of 17.62 % over 2006. Prediction for 2008 amounted to 607 million tons, of which 89 % (540 million tonnes) are used for the production of sugar and ethanol, the other 11 % will be for the production of cachaça, amorphous sugar ( Rapadura ), used as animal feed and as seed.
It is estimated that the sugarcane production in Brazil will grow by 2020 to about 1.05 billion tons.
Criticism
Low wages of farm workers and low demands on the environment, eg lack of wastewater treatment systems for the production obtained in the sugar water, wear next to the favorable climate to the fact that Brazilian cane sugar can be conveniently offered on the world market. In addition, forests are being cleared for sugar cane production, such as the world's largest wetland Pantanal, with negative consequences for local ecosystems.
Sugar export
Brazil is With exports of 17.7 million tons (2005-2006) and a share of almost 40 % of the world's sugar exports, the largest sugar exporter in the world. By far, the EU ranks second with 8.1 million tons, but this proportion decreases as the WTO has forced the EU to limit the subsidized sugar exports to 4.1 million tons per year.
The most exported from Brazil sugar is known as VHP sugar ( "very high pol ( arity ) " ), ie, raw sugar, which contains only a few non-sugar components. Although this sugar to be refined in the country in general or, in the refining but are limited compared to "normal" raw sugar only a few waste materials, so that the refining of VHP sugar is very efficient.
Electricity from sugarcane bagasse
The sucrose is only slightly more than 30 % of the chemical energy that is stored in the mature sugarcane plant. 35 % is contained in the leaves, which are left at harvest on the field, and 35 % are included in the bagasse that remains after the pressing of the sugar juice.
Part of the bagasse is burned in the sugar factory to produce thermal energy for sugar production and distillation, as well as electrical power for the machines. This sugar cane mills are energy self-sufficient and they are even capable of excess electricity to utilities to sell. With a production of about 600 MW for own consumption about 100 MW for the national grid can be generated.
The energy is often taken by the suppliers, since it occurs mainly in the dry season when the level is low in the reservoirs of Brazil and the generation of hydroelectric power is low. Estimates of the potential power generation rank 1000-9000 MW, depending on the technology used. The higher estimates are based on the gasification of biomass, replacement of the currently used low-pressure steam boilers and turbines by high-pressure boilers and turbines, and the use of currently left on the fields of biomass in the form of leaves. In comparison, the Brazilian nuclear power plant Angra I produced 657 MW.
Currently, it is profitable to generate approximately 288 MJ of electricity per ton of sugar cane from the waste products of alcohol production. Of itself about 180 MJ are consumed in the factory. In this respect, a sugar factory of medium size could sell about 5 MW of electricity. At current prices, the turnover of the factory about $ 18 million through the sale of sugar and alcohol, and also $ 1 million is through the sale of excess electricity. With advanced technology for boilers and turbines, the yield could be increased to about 648 MJ per tonne of sugar cane, but the necessary investments pay off not at the current prices.
The combustion of bagasse is environmentally friendly compared to other fuels such as coal and petroleum. The ash content is only 2.5% (coal: 30-50%), and it contains no sulfur. Since the combustion takes place at relatively low temperatures, little nitrogen oxides are formed.
In Brazil, bagasse is used in several industries to replace oil as fuel. Alone in the state of São Paulo 2 million tons are used, thereby saving $ 35 million U.S. on oil imports.