Biofuels are regarded as an eco-friendly alternative to fossil fuels and a new source for economic growth. Brazil is known as the world’s leader, an unusual status for a nation in South America. This is the result of Brazil’s strong commitment to produce an alternative energy.

Other countries in Latin America are following in Brazil’s footsteps in developing eco-friendly biofuels with the support of groups such as Inter-American Development Bank. The most important producers in the region are Guyana, Jamaica and Barbados.

The World’s most efficient Biofuel: Ethanol

Currently, the main use of biofuel is for the production of ethanol, a gasoline mix of biofuels and fossil fuels. Brazil has been able to optimize their production to a point where they are exporting their surplus. The majority of their vehicles are also able to efficiently use ethanol. They are finding new ways to improve the original recipe of 85 percent gasoline and 15 percent biofuel. So far, they have managed to get a recipe of 75 percent gasoline and 25% biofuel.

Why it is so important to develop biofuels? Oil and Coal will eventually be depleted by humans in the future. Biofuels are produced from renewable crop therefore it is considered as an eco-friendly source along with solar, wind and geothermal energy. Another advantages is that biofuels emit less carbon dioxyde than fossil fuels.

Brazil’s leadership in Green energy

Brazil has been investing in biofuels since the 1970′s when other nations were closing their doors for the development of this alternative energy source. This was especially hard for the Brazilian government as oil prices were low.

The spark for Brazil came with the Middle East oil embargo of 1973. Investments were required in agricultural production of sugarcane, and in building new facilities, backed by government subsidies and tax cuts. By 1990, Brazil was producing 20 times more ethanol than in 1973 and had become “energy independent,” an achievement that is the envy of other nations. The world’s first automobile to run on ethanol was a 1979 Fiat produced in Brazil.

Brazil is now sharing its knowledge about ethanol internationally with a focus on developing countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Africa. Analysts are saying that results are starting to show with the decline in oil prices in the past couple of months.

Other countries are investing in developing their own biofuel with the resources available. Europe is currently focusing on wheat and sugar beets. Asia is using palm oil. China is using sorghum. The United States have replaced corn with soybean and switch grass. Great Britain is developing solid biofuels with dried farm manure and trash.

Even though other countries have made large investments, they have not been able to produce a biofuel that surpasses Brazil’s sugarcane.