Sugarcane has proven potential to produce high yields of food (sugar and by-products) and bioenergy (first and second generation ethanol and bioelectricity), providing the supply of gaseous, liquid and solid fuels. Therefore, sugarcane-derived bioethanol is a well-established renewable energy alternative for replacing fossil fuels, recognized for its low carbon emissions in its life cycle, which, if done well, can avoid negative impacts on food security and biodiversity.

Global projections indicate that ethanol production will expand from around 100 billion liters to almost 134.5 billion liters in 2028. that two-thirds of this increase comes from Brazilian sugarcane. In this context, the growing demand for bioenergy production, driven by sectoral policy in Brazil (for example, the RenovaBio program) and international commitments, to achieve the Nationally Determined Contributions, announced in the Paris Agreement, makes sugarcane a matter an important raw material for the production of bioenergy in a more sustainable way.

There is currently an intense discussion involving teaching and research institutions and various agents of the complex sugar-energy chain covering a multi-thematic set of topics, including soil carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions, soil biodiversity, management of cultural residues, recycling of nutrients from by-products of the sugar-energy chain, rationalization of fertilizer application, pest management, mechanization, engineering solutions, industrial performance, among other aspects.

As a semi-perennial crop, sugarcane is highly efficient in converting atmospheric carbon dioxide into organic compounds. Studies indicate that, annually, each hectare of sugarcane removes around 60 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Therefore, on average, about 600 gigatons of carbon dioxide are removed annually from the atmosphere by sugarcane mills, in the 10 million hectares in Brazil.

From the field to the industry, the sugarcane production chain is complex, but also versatile, allowing the production of sugar, advanced biofuel (ethanol and aviation kerosene), bioelectricity, biomethane, biopolymers, biochar, among other products. All the processes and products associated with sugarcane become opportunities to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as illustrated in the figure above.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions by replacing fossil fuels depends on how biofuels are produced and how emissions are calculated. Scientific methods for evaluating production, distribution, sale and consumption are essential. The public and sectoral policies behind decarbonization certificates can encourage farmers and decision-makers to seek more efficient and cost-effective solutions to further reduce emissions and improve sustainability. Sugarcane ethanol is an excellent alternative to ethanol produced not only from the first generation, but also from the second generation, recently developed, from cellulose hydrolysis processes.

Finally, sugarcane-derived bioenergy is a sustainable option to address climate change, providing other important ecosystem services and promoting socioeconomic development, especially by improving soil quality and its ability to sequester carbon. Stakeholders in the sugarcane sector, including scientists, farmers and industries, are truly committed to making large-scale sugarcane production in Brazil part of the solution to mitigate the climate through soil carbon sequestration, biofuel, bioelectricity and bioproduct production, negative emissions industrial technologies, industrial waste recycling and sectoral policies that reward farmers for avoiding carbon dioxide emissions.