According to data from the Union of the Alcohol Manufacturing Industry in Paraíba (Sindalcool-PB), which represents the sugar, ethanol and bioelectricity plants in the state, the consumption of ethanol in Paraíba (anhydrous and hydrated) avoided about 387 thousand tons of greenhouse gases by 2021.

Hydrous ethanol, the one sold at gas stations, was responsible for avoiding 159,509 thousand tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere, which is equivalent to the consumption of 136,332,901 million liters. Anhydrous, on the other hand, added to common gasoline in a percentage of 27%, avoided a total of 227,421 thousand tons of CO2 in the atmosphere, which corresponds to the consumption of 177,673,000 million liters.

On the other hand, gasoline and diesel, fuels derived from petroleum, increased pollutant emissions in the state. The survey carried out by Sindalcool-PB found that, in 2021, ordinary gasoline with 660,191,214 million liters consumed emitted about 1,337,382 ton of CO2 into the atmosphere. Diesel emitted around 1,131,320 ton of CO2, with a consumption of 435,123,116 million liters in Paraíba (using the emission standard of 2.6 kg/l of diesel consumed).

The National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels (ANP) released the 2021 balance sheet of the National Biofuels Policy (RenovaBio). According to the document, more than 24 million tons of greenhouse gases were avoided with the use of biofuels in 2021.

RenovaBio aims to promote the expansion of production and use of biofuels in the national energy matrix to reduce the average carbon intensity of the fuel matrix and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

"The reduction of emissions with the use of ethanol is a fact and deserves celebration, anyone realizes the harm it does to health when they are close to a more polluting vehicle. are perceived by each of us as consumers. The dramatic effects on health and climate change are already beginning to be commented on, even by children. The purchase of decarbonization certificates by any company or individual has become a profitable investment and, in this way , the market and society regulate consumption habits and begin to determine the replacement of fossil fuels and pollutants by biofuels", says the executive president of Sindalcool-PB, Edmundo Barbosa.

Ethanol is an ally of sustainable mobility

As a result of climate change and the global need to reduce polluting emissions for the next decades, the biofuel ethanol, derived from sugarcane, is seen as a great ally of sustainable mobility and a solution for the decarbonization of the automotive sector, that will replace gasoline and diesel powered vehicles in the coming years.

According to Sindalcool-PB, when used as a substitute for gasoline, ethanol provides a reduction of up to 90% in the emission of greenhouse gases in relation to fossil fuel.

Therefore, Brazilian ethanol, which already has an extensive and consolidated distribution network in the country, is considered an alternative to conventional electric cars, which have a set of expensive and heavy batteries.

Volkswagen CEO Hebert Diessen recently told The Verge that it will be impossible to abandon the combustion engine by 2030, because there are not enough battery factories to meet this demand in the coming years. Diessen also warns that "electric cars only make sense if the electrical energy comes from a renewable source." He says that as long as a country has a polluting energy matrix, it makes no sense to sell electric cars there.

In addition to the benefits of regular ethanol as a fuel, automakers like Nissan are also developing prototype ethanol fuel cell vehicles. The technology guarantees more autonomy for the vehicle and is considered a "zero emission cycle" because the little CO2 emitted would be completely absorbed during the cultivation of sugarcane.

The executive president of Sindalcool-PB says that ethanol is the smartest option for the global automobile industry. "The energy crisis has brought a better understanding of the various sources of energy. Ethanol is a priority in the world for reducing emissions. The greater energy intensity of ethanol, six to eight times greater, shows that batteries are inefficient, heavy and uneconomical. In Brazil, especially where there is a strong dependence on automobiles and road transport, electrification and subsidies would be harmful to the economy. States that have made concessions for this type of 'black swan song' should review. The use of ethanol in hybrid vehicles and in fuel cells are the smartest options offered by the global automobile industry", says Barbosa.

Ethanol improves air quality and helps prevent disease. 

In addition to not polluting the atmosphere, ethanol also does not pollute water and soil. The reduction of pollutants contributes to good air quality and, consequently, to people's health.

The use of sugarcane ethanol eliminates more than 90% of polluting particles compared to the use of gasoline and diesel and 99% of the emission of toxic hydrocarbons, such as benzene, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons from diesel, which are carcinogenic chemical components.

Biofuel is even advocated by health professionals, as it prevents the emission of particulate matter, an extremely toxic residue that results from the burning of fossil fuels and other processes, which contribute to the emergence of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.