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Brazil, U.S. To Jointly
Produce Diesel From
Sugarcane
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Rethinks Capitalism
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Brazil, U.S. To Jointly
Produce Diesel From
Sugarcane
RIO DE JANEIRO -
Brazil's largest
business group
Votorantim announced on
Tuesday a partnership
with U.S. biotechnology
company Amyris to
produce diesel fuel from
sugarcane.
Votorantim has made an
investment of
undisclosed value in
Amyris, making it one of
the five main partners
of the U.S. company.
Fernando Reinach,
President of the group's
New Business branch,
will join Amyris'
administration council.
According to Amyris CEO
John Melo, the
investments will be used
to develop the
technology for the
production of diesel, as
well as kerosene and
gasoline from sugarcane.
The technique involves
the use of a modified
yeast to transform the
sugarcane into diesel
instead of ethanol.
Amyris currently has a
lab in Campinas,
southeastern Brazil,
which is expected to
double its capacity by
the end of the year. The
company intends to set
up an experimental plant
by Feb. 2009 to focus on
diesel production. In
2010, Amyris plans to
build a regular plant in
Saertaozinho, Sao Paulo
state. The large-scale
production is to start
in 2011.
"For 2011, we intend to
produce 400 million
liters of diesel. In
2012, we expect a 1
billion liters
production," said Melo.
Brazil currently
consumes 45 billion
liters of diesel fuel
per month.
Melo added that while
oil prices tended to
increase in the
foreseeable future, the
sugarcane diesel price
would get cheaper. He
estimated the price of
the sugarcane diesel at
60 U.S. dollars per
barrel.
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