EMBRAPAEMBRAPA’’S STRATEGY FOR S STRATEGY FOR IMPROVEMENT OF IMPROVEMENT OF

BIOETHANOL PRODUCTIONBIOETHANOL PRODUCTION

Cristina Machado Cristina Machado –– ResearcherResearcherHugo Molinari Hugo Molinari –– ResearcherResearcher

SSíílvia Bellvia Beléém m –– ResearcherResearcherEsdras Sundfeld Esdras Sundfeld –– R & D ChairR & D Chair

Embrapa AgroenergyEmbrapa Agroenergy

Mission: To enable innovative technological solutions for sustainable and equitable development of the Agroenergy business in Brazil for the benefit of society.

Basic Information:Creation: May 24th, 2006 Installation: January, 2007Staff: 150 employeesLocation: Brasília – DFDuties: 1) Coordination of Agroenergy R&D actions at Embrapa.

2 ) Execution of R&D projects

Embrapa AgroenergyEmbrapa Agroenergy

Working StructureLaboratory of Knowledge Management in Agroenergy

Laboratory of Energetic Biology

Laboratory of Energetic Feedstock ProcessingPilot plant

Laboratory of Co-products and Residues Processing

Strategic Priorities 2008Strategic Priorities 2008--20112011--20232023

Development of new technologies of energy (ethanol from cellulose, products of bio- refinery, hydrogen)

Enzymatic pathway for ethanol from lignocellulosic materials.

Enzymes, fungi, bacteria and catalysts for energy production.

R&D focusing the concept of bio-refinery.

Development of technologies for economical use of by-products and residues

Economical use of meals, glycerin & by-products of biodiesel production.

Economical use of by-products from the charcoal industry for the production of biofertilizers and biopesticides.

Economical use of residues and by-products from the 1st and 2nd generation ethanol production processes.

Development of novel production systems and raw materials with superior characteristics for the production of energy.

Zoning and evaluation of environmental, economic and social impacts for the identification of areas for the competitive and sustainable production of agroenergy.

Development of technologies and production systems aiming at using degraded areas for the production of bioenergy.

Strategic Priorities 2008Strategic Priorities 2008--20112011--20232023

BiodieselBiodieselBiodiesel EnergeticFlorests

EnergeticEnergeticFlorestsFlorests

Sugar CaneSugar CaneSugar Cane PotentialSourcesPotentialPotentialSourcesSources

LignocellulosicEthanol

LignocellulosicLignocellulosicEthanolEthanol

EmbrapaEmbrapa’’s R&D Platforms in Agroenergys R&D Platforms in Agroenergy

Characteristics of these ProjectsCharacteristics of these Projects

Target technological issues of national relevance

Carried out by multi-institutional networks (public and private

partners acting in R&D, technology transfer, information systems,

farming and industrial processing, among other issues)

Multi-disciplinary approach

Require high volume of resources (scientists, $$$, infra-

structure,..)

ProductionSystems

NETWORK: 100 scientists (8 Embrapa R&D Centers, 2 Universities, 1 R&D Institute, ...)

Sugar CaneSugar Cane

Platform ManagementCharacterization & selection of lignocellulosic biomass

Prospection & selection of microorganismsMolecular genetics of gramineae & microorganisms

Conversion Processes

Alternative sources of biomass & technological routes for the sustainable production of ethanol from lignocellulosic materials

Ethanol from lignocelluloseEthanol from lignocellulose

NETWORK: being organized ...

Platform ManagementPlatform Management

Monitoring of the project development, verifying the accomplishment of its objectives;

Establishment of partnerships in the public and private sectors for technology transfer;

Management of the IP aspects;

Utilization of the databanks of Brazilian System of Genetic Resources (SIBRARGEN - Embrapa) to concentrate the information about raw material and microorganisms obtained in the project

Creation of a homepage with different levels of access for publicizing the project results for the team and public

Characterization & selection of Characterization & selection of lignocellulosic biomasslignocellulosic biomass

Adaptation and standardization of analytical methodologies for different lignocellulosic materials;Establishment raw material selection criteria;

Characterization and selection of lignocellulosic biomass for

its physical-chemical properties;

Characterization and selection of lignocellulosic biomass for

its cell wall composition and structure.

Distribution of germplasm banksDistribution of germplasm banks

Materials partially characterized: Bromatological Agronomical

Prospection & selection of microorganismsProspection & selection of microorganisms

Selection of microorganisms for:Production of cell wall hydrolytic enzymesEthanol production from pentosesSimultaneous saccharification and fermentation

Distribution of germoplasm banksDistribution of germoplasm banks

Yeasts characterized and evaluated for ethanol production

Molds and bacteria characterized and evaluated for other uses: Biological control; Plant diseases;….

Molecular genetics of gramineae & Molecular genetics of gramineae & microorganisms microorganisms

Modification of polymeric structure of plant cell wall to facilitate hydrolysis;

Prospection and characterization of hydrolytic enzymes

coding genes for the increase of specific activity;

Evaluation of hydrolytic enzymes and pentoses and hexoses

metabolizing coding genes;

Construction of microorganisms with amplified hydrolytic

enzymes expression and catabolic repression control;

Conversion ProcessesConversion Processes

Definition of lignocellulosic ethanol conversion process models in bench scale experiments;

Bench scale evaluation of defined conversion process models with the selected raw material and microorganisms;

Pilot scale evaluation of technological routes (selected process using selected raw material and microorganisms);

Mass and energy balances and preliminary technical & economical feasibility studies of selected technological routes;

Evaluation and management of residues generated in selected technological routes.

Final Final RemarksRemarks

Management of the R & D process is a big challenge

involving the integration of efforts, networking, sharing and allocation of resources to meet the needs of R & D, establishment of public-private partnerships, among other aspects.

Embrapa, has a long history working on “open knowledge”. But…

Information security, protection, patent (IP) and business.

aspects will be indispensable to maintain Brazil’s leadership, and more than that, sovereignty on biofuels.

Embrapa Embrapa AgroenergyAgroenergywww.cnpae.embrapa.brwww.cnpae.embrapa.br

cristina.machado@embrapa.brcristina.machado@embrapa.br