Germans visit Brazil to learn more about sugarcane-based products

08 March 2012 22:51  [Source: ICIS news]

PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil (ICIS)--Representatives of Bavaria, Germany, visited Brazil this week to learn about flex fuel technology using bioethanol, sugarcane trade group UNICA said on Thursday.

UNICA said the Bavarian delegation met with the trade group on Tuesday in Sao Paulo.

As Brazil has become a hub for sugarcane-based products, Germany can learn from Brazil's flex fuel car fleet experience, UNICA said.

"A 10% ethanol blend in gasoline (E10) is being understood as a needed and positive measure Bavaria could take to diversify its energy grid", said Helmut Brunner, Bavarian state minister of agriculture.

UNICA corporate communications director Adhemar Altieri said when the ethanol blend in gasoline was introduced in Germany in January 2011, there was a negative reaction, causing many Germans news organisations to seek out UNICA for more information about the use of the E10.

"As there was a lack of information, a lot of people said in Germany that the use of E10 would cause damage for car engines,” Altieri said. “In Brazil, the ethanol blend in gasoline has been a reality for decades, and there's no significant cases of technical problems or injury for car engines", he said.

Altieri said Germany-based auto maker Volkswagen was one of the first companies to launch the flex fuel technology in Brazil, in 2003.

By: Leo Siqueira
+1 713 525 2600

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly