I will present a view of how the application of advanced technologies in the development of heavy engines and gas turbines using ethanol as fuel may substantially expand the demand for ethanol, as replacement for fuel derived from oil, thereby reducing CO₂ emissions and contributing to the reduction of the greenhouse effect. Currently, ethanol is used only for individual transportation, in cars.

The development of high-performance heavy engines, totally powered with ethanol, will allow the intensive use of this renewable fuel in agricultural production, in the transportation of cargo and passengers, and also in the distributed generation of energy, strongly enhancing its usage potential. Heavy ethanol-powered engines may be used in tractors and harvesting machines, light and heavy trucks, buses and electric power motor generators, fully or partially replacing diesel in all applications and substantially reducing carbon fuel emissions.

Actually, it is interesting to notice that presently diesel is used in planting, harvesting and transporting ethanol from the mills to the distribution centers and the fuel stations. This means, ethanol’s production cycle is still not totally sustainable, which will only occur when it is possible to eliminate diesel and use alcohol to produce alcohol.

The development of electrically driven hybrid buses equipped with ethanol-powered engines will allow replacing a large number of uban and intercity buses powered by diesel. One can easily imagine the reduction potential of CO₂ emissions in the large cities. Ethanol may also be used together with biodiesel in railroad locomotives, thus eliminating another modus of high diesel consumption and fossil emissions’ generation.

Another important aspect is the replacement of diesel generators by ethanol generators, including emergency generators used in big cities. In the Amazon region, almost all the electric power is produced by thousands of diesel generators, most of which are old and highly pollutant. The replacement of diesel with ethanol is a priority project for the country, which has until now not progressed due to the lack of ethanol generators.

Most of the country’s sugar and alcohol mills generate energy in power units equipped with boilers that burn biomass, and with steam turbines. The use of gas turbines, powered by gas from biomass and/or ethanol, and the combined cycle thermal units, could increase the industry’s power generation potential from approximately 6,000MW to up to 10,000MW.

Ethanol turbines could also be used to generate distributed energy, in electric power stations, mines and industrial installations. An interesting concept that is starting to be considered following the availability of biomass gasification systems and ethanol-powered motor generators is the project “Sustainability Islands”, in which all activities take place in a sustainable manner.

This project may be implemented in poor regions and countries, allowing for the progress and well-being of millions of people currently living under deplorable conditions. Within this concept, intensive cattle raising and the cultivation of sugarcane and other crops are activities undertaken by local populations, along with the production of food, ethanol and biodiesel, as well as the generation of energy for the processing of food, the irrigation of plantations and secondary industrial activities.

This will allow living more dignifying lives, while also avoiding migrations to the big urban centers. The technologies and equipment that will make possible these new applications described in this article are being developed in Brazil and will be available in less than two years. The vision of contributing to improve the quality of life and the environment through sustainable processes led to the creation of VSE - Vale Soluções em Energia.