Recent advances of sugarcane biomass cogeneration in Brazil

The integrated sugar/ethanol/electricity production has launched a new business model-the bioelectricity industry-with a potential to become a ldquomainstreamrdquo energy supply option in the near future in Brazil. Besides being clean, the bioelectricity plants have been winning several hundred MWs in long-term contracts auctioned by distribution companies under the Brazilian power sector framework. These contracts have been awarded on a competitive basis, without any subsidy policy. In addition, bioelectricity plants comply with the requirements of the CDM for selling emission reduction credits. The objective of this work is to discuss the bioelectricity achievements in Brazil.