Brazil ethanol group plans to open Asia office

19 May 2008 19:47  [Source: ICIS news]

HOUSTON (ICIS news)--Brazil’s ethanol group Unica said on Monday that it plans to open an office in Asia, extending its presence to a region touted as having significant potential for the Brazilian biofuel.

Unica on 14 May announced the opening of its Brussels bureau, a move that followed the opening of an office in Washington DC in late 2007.

The association has yet to make a decision on a location and date for the launching in Asia, a spokesperson said.

Unica’s growing international presence comes at a time of mounting scrutiny over the benefits and threats posed by ethanol.

Biofuels critics charge ethanol can cause more harm than good, claiming large-scale production of the biofuel can potentially squeeze global food supplies and wreak havoc in the environment.

Unica and its US counterpart, the Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), have repeatedly dismissed both claims as unfounded anti-ethanol propaganda motivated by economical and political interests.

Ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 90% compared with gasoline, Unica said in a statement last week.

The association also rejects claims that ethanol mills in Brazil are venturing into the Amazon rainforest to grow sugarcane.

Unica represents ethanol producers in Brazil’s centre-south region, which accounts for more than 85% of the country’s production of the biofuel.

In 2007, centre-south mills produced some 20bn litres of ethanol.

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By: William Lemos
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