| Biofuels

When the cassava enters the fuel pump

Check information on the progress of research into using cassava ethanol as an energy alternative.

10.11.2015 | 21:59 (UTC -3)

The cassava agro-industrial sector generates waste that can represent a large niche for the generation of products with greater added value.

The main objective of producing ethanol from cassava bran is to obtain fine alcohol for use in the beverage, perfumery and pharmaceutical industries. In addition to these conventional applications, it is also possible to extract hydrogen from ethanol, seen by experts as the center of the world economy within a few decades, as once some technological barriers are overcome this product can be used in fuel cells.

Hydrogen already plays an important role in industry, as it is used on a large scale in the production of ammonia and in the hydrogenation of vegetable oil. As an energy source, it is used in space rockets and in fuel cells (CaCs) to generate electrical energy.

The production of hydrogen from cassava ethanol guarantees the use of hydrogen in the coming years. Today, 90% of what is produced comes from the reform of natural gas. Since 2008, Embrapa Agroindústria de Alimentos (Rio de Janeiro – RJ) has been conducting a project along these lines in partnership with public and private companies.

Cassava bran, for example, comes from HALOTEK-FADEL, a company located in São Paulo. At Embrapa, the bran is characterized and biotransformed into hydrolyzate. The hydrolyzate is rich in sugars and requires a fermentation process to obtain ethanol.

From distilled and/or pervaporated ethanol, the National Institute of Technology (INT) comes into play, which is responsible for the characterization stage regarding the presence of contaminants and application in fuel cells.

The research also counts on the collaboration of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the Center for Tropical Roots and Starches (CERAT/UNESP). The project received R$260 from the Agrofuturo notice to cover activities until the end of 2010. If the results by then are promising, we will have solutions for using cassava ethanol as an energy alternative.