Everything is energy, that is: any activity practiced by man requires energy consumption. The sun is undoubtedly the source that provides energy to our planet. At the beginning of the industrial era, man began to use coal as a source of energy and, later, with the official discovery of oil in 1859 in Pennsylvania by Edwin Drake, he began to develop activities in the field of mechanics through the use of fossil fuels.

The discovery of oil provided a great technological advance and this macro source of energy moved and moves the planet until today, where approximately 55% of the energy used comes from oil, natural gas and its derivatives. However, society currently feels its negative effects due to the growing volume used worldwide.

In recent decades, the search for alternative, clean and renewable sources has been increasing and society demands this change. Studies, research and technological advances have shown some promising paths for new sources linked to agribusiness.

When we talk about agriculture and related plants, biomass items, fuels and energy, the first crop that comes to mind is undoubtedly sugarcane, a C4 plant with agronomic characteristics that carries in its DNA a potential that when transformed by bioindustry, it generates a range of products that are undoubtedly changing the concepts of fuels and energy for a society that increasingly demands and thinks about replacing fossils with renewable and clean generators of jobs and regional or global developments.

In Brazil, ethanol has replaced gasoline since the late 1970s, when Proálcool began and part of vehicle engines began to be adapted and/or transformed. Currently, in Brazil, almost 45% of vehicles that have an Otto cycle run on ethanol.

Ethanol, produced from juice by crushing sugarcane, has increased its production per hectare at the plant itself, with the use of straw or complementing bagasse in the production of second-generation ethanol, which is in the growth phase of some sugar-energy companies.

Ethanol has also been studied and tested as a source of raw material for the production of green hydrogen for use in hybrid vehicles. This technology, associated with other difficulties that electric cars face, should completely end the concept of purely electric cars.

Related to the movement of engines, the sector points to biodiesel, also generated from sugarcane. The potential of this plant can be confirmed if we consider that one hectare produces 80 tons of sugarcane. Therefore, we obtain 21 tons of bagasse per hectare at 1,800 kilocalories per kilogram, considering that 1 ton of bagasse in a high-pressure boiler generates half a megawatt hour.

In that same hectare, we have more than 7,000 liters of ethanol, 68 cubic meters of vinasse, which, from being a villain in the past, currently has multiple options for use, such as generating biomethane to move diesel cycle engines or as fertilizer, having approximately 3 kilos of potassium per cubic meter, enough to supply more than one hectare with this nutrient, in addition to providing great savings in soil fertilization in ratoons and planting.

Currently, with the distribution of localized vinasse, we can expand the areas of application of this product. We also have approximately 12 tons of straw that remains in the field after the mechanized harvest and which when dried (13% moisture) generates 3,700 kilocalories per kilogram.

In the processing of sugarcane by the industry, in addition to the items already mentioned, we have other noble by-products, such as filter cake in considerable volume, when we refer to organic fertilizers rich in Phosphorus, organic matter and with traces of micronutrients. The numbers show the great energy potential of the sugarcane crop which, associated with technologies that have been researched and developed in partnership with mills and manufacturers, clearly demonstrates that its participation in the renewable and clean matrix has guaranteed a prominent place in the Brazil.

This sector, in which we have lived for many years, has branched out to almost all states in Brazil, where there is diversity in soil, climate, among others. Certainly, there are difficulties to improve its productivity, since being a semi-perennial crop and passing through the four seasons of the year during its cycle, it undoubtedly demonstrates the necessary care in maintaining the crop in order to obtain economically viable productivity. Agronomic items, such as soil fertility and varieties to be developed and worked on.

The elimination of burning in sugarcane plantations completely changed the biology of this environment, favoring the resurgence of pests, diseases and new invasive weeds. This requires changes in input application methodology; new molecules and formulas are needed and require a high degree of knowledge.

Full and technologically updated mechanization is necessary due to many factors ranging from reduced production costs, operating income, current legislation, technology updating, among many others. This demands planning and, above all, a search for technical knowledge about the mechanized activity, because, in addition to its high value in sugarcane production (about 70% of the costs), 22 to 25 times in the same hectare crop cycle with heavy equipment. Soil compaction and stump injuries, associated with constant operational and equipment adjustment errors, are one of the major factors in reducing productivity and increasing costs.

Due to adversities, it is customary to say: “Never a crop is like another”. Therefore, there is a need for constant adaptation. The sugarcane culture is undoubtedly a source of food and renewable energy that is available to countries like Brazil, which has large areas, suitable topography and favorable climatic conditions for its development.