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Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Large-scale production of biofuels is increasingly touted in national policies and international trade agreements. This global trend is particularly clear in Brazil. However, the sugarcane monocultures promoted in the country depend on a range of fossil fuel derivates, industrial inputs, chemical fertilizers, agrochemicals, machinery, labor exploitation and various other non-renewable resources, making it a questionable alternative to substitute fossil energy sources. In parallel, an alternative approach has recently emerged in southern Brazil, which promotes integrated food and energy production in small-scale, family managed production units, based on agro-ecological principles and local market orientation. This paper explores the potential of this alternative for more environmentally sustainable and socially fair production of food and biofuels. The scope of the paper is interdisciplinary, in combining environmental and social information from participatory fieldwork and interviews with farmers. Resource flows at farm level are identified and illustrated in diagrams, and interactions between farmers and institutions at local and global levels. The paper also explores opportunities for cross-fertilization between the two approaches applied: emergy synthesis (ES) and participatory learning and action (PLA). Integration was operationalized by drawing emergy diagrams together with local farmers, supported by PLA tools. The result is a systems description that adds information provided by farmers to an understanding based on general systems principles. Apart from accounting for the empirical results from this approach, lessons learned are used for proposing a new framework for participatory emergy synthesis (P-ES), which would facilitate more interdisciplinary and participatory evaluation of agricultural systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistence may be defined as high sustained yield over multi-harvest. Genetic insights about persistence are essential to ensure the success of breeding programs and any biomass-based project. This paper focuses on assessing the biomass yield persistence for bioenergy purpose of 100 elephantgrass clones measured in six growth seasons in Brazil. To assess the clones' persistence, an index based on random regression models and genotype-ideotype distance was proposed. Results suggested the existence of wide genetic variability between elephantgrass clones, and that the yield trajectories along the harvests generate genetic insights into elephantgrass clones' persistence and G x E interaction. A gene pool that acts over the biomass yield (regardless of the harvest) was detected, as well as other gene pools, which show differences on genes expression (these genes are the major responsible for clones' persistence). The lower and higher clones' persistence was discussed based on genome dosage effect and natural biological nitrogen fixation ability applied to bioenergy industry. The huge potential of energy crops necessarily is associated with genetic insights into persistence, so just this way, breeding programs could breed a new cultivar that fulfills the bioenergy industries., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Sugarcane ethanol is an alternative to fossil fuels that can mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and offer socioeconomic benefits, but at the same time have a series of negative impacts. Brazil is the second largest producer of fuel ethanol globally, with this production predicted to almost double over the next 15 years. However sugarcane ethanol production in the country has been shown to interact with a range of ecosystem services. It is only when such interactions are understood that we can fully determine the potential trade-offs, synergies and sustainability outcomes of biofuel production in the country. This paper explores the local perceptions about the impacts of sugarcane production on ecosystem services in two municipalities in the state of Sao Paulo with significant sugarcane production: Capivari and Rancharia. Impact perceptions have been elicited through interviews with local residents, with the results showing that perceptions vary between the two study sites and are affected considerably by the different local experiences with sugarcane production. For example, although sugarcane farming has been traditionally performed in Capivari, it has been Rancharia that has experienced more recently a rapid sugarcane expansion that has caused considerable changes in land use and farming patterns. Interview results also suggest that the negative effects of sugarcane farming can be reduced through the adoption of good agricultural practices and the enforcement of existing laws, as many respondents cited considerable improvements in ecosystem health from such actions. Assessing the perception of local communities such as the one reported in this paper can be crucial in designing policies and planning land uses that enhance the sustainability of biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maritime transportation sector (MTS) is undertaking a major global effort to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), e.g., sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and the concentration of particulates in suspension. Substantial investment is necessary to develop alternative sustainable fuels, engines, and fuel modifications. The alternative fuels considered in this study include liquified natural gas, nuclear energy, hydrogen, electricity, and biofuels. This paper focuses on biofuels, in particular fast pyrolysis bio-oil (FPBO), a serious partial alternative in MTS. There are some drawbacks, e.g., biofuels usually require land necessary to produce the feedstock and the chemical compatibility of the resulting biofuel with current engines in MTS. The demand for sustainable feedstock production for MTS can be overcome by using cellulose-based and agroforestry residues, which do not compete with food production and can be obtained in large quantities and at a reasonably low cost. The compatibility of biofuels with either bunker fuel or diesel cycle engines can also be solved by upgrading biofuels, adjusting the refining process, or modifying the engine itself. The paper examines the possibilities presented by biofuels, focusing on FPBO in Brazil, for MTS. The key issues investigated include FPBO, production, and end use of feedstocks and the most promising alternatives; thermal conversion technologies; potential applications of FPBO in Brazil; sustainability; biofuels properties; fuels under consideration in MTS, challenges, and opportunities in a rapidly changing maritime fuel sector. Although the focus is on Brazil, the findings of this paper can be replicated in many other parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of biomass for cooking and heating is considered an important factor associated with respiratory diseases. However, few studies evaluate the amount of particulate matter less than 2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5), symptoms and lung function in the same population., Objectives: To evaluate the respiratory effects of biomass combustion and compare the results with those of individuals from the same community in Brazil using liquefied petroleum gas (Gas)., Methods: 1402 individuals in 260 residences were divided into three groups according to exposure (Gas, Indoor-Biomass, Outside-Biomass). Respiratory symptoms were assessed using questionnaires. Reflectance of paper filters was used to assess particulate matter exposure. In 48 residences the amount of PM2.5 was also quantified. Pulmonary function tests were performed in 120 individuals., Results: Reflectance index correlated directly with PM2.5 (r=0.92) and was used to estimate exposure (ePM2.5). There was a significant increase in ePM2.5 in Indoor-Biomass and Outside-Biomass, compared to Gas. There was a significantly increased odds ratio (OR) for cough, wheezing and dyspnea in adults exposed to Indoor-Biomass (OR=2.93, 2.33, 2.59, respectively) and Outside-Biomass (OR=1.78, 1.78, 1.80, respectively) compared to Gas. Pulmonary function tests revealed both Non-Smoker-Biomass and Smoker-Gas individuals to have decreased %predicted-forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC) as compared to Non-Smoker-Gas. Pulmonary function tests data was inversely correlated with duration and ePM2.5. The prevalence of airway obstruction was 20% in both Non-Smoker-Biomass and Smoker-Gas subjects., Conclusion: Chronic exposure to biomass combustion is associated with increased prevalence of respiratory symptoms, reduced lung function and development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These effects are associated with the duration and magnitude of exposure and are exacerbated by tobacco smoke., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sucrose-rich sugarcane trash surpasses 28 million tons globally per year. Effective biorefinery systems could convert these biomasses to bioproducts, such as bioethanol from sugarcane sucrose in Brazil. Thermophilic microbes for biofuels have attracted great attention due to their higher fermentation temperature and wide substrate spectrum. However, few thermophiles using sucrose or molasses for biofuels production was reported. Thermoanaerobacterium aotearoense SCUT27 has been considered as an efficient ethanol producer, but it cannot directly utilize sucrose. In this study, various sucrose metabolic pathways were introduced and analyzed in Thermoanaerobaterium. Results: The sucrose-6-phosphate hydrolase (scrB), which was from a screened strain Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum G3-1 was overexpressed in T. aotearoense SCUT27 and endowed this strain with the ability to utilize sucrose. In addition, overexpression of the sucrose-specific PTS system (scrA) from Clostridium acetobutylicum accelerated the sucrose transport. To strengthen the alcohols production and substrates metabolism, the redox-sensing transcriptional repressor (rex) in T. aotearoense was further knocked out. Moreover, with the gene arginine repressor (argR) deleted, the ethanologenic mutant P8S10 showed great inhibitors-tolerance and finally accumulated ~ 34 g/L ethanol (a yield of 0.39 g/g sugars) from pretreated cane molasses in 5 L tank by fed-batch fermentation. When introducing butanol synthetic pathway, 3.22 g/L butanol was produced by P8SB4 with a yield of 0.44 g alcohols/g sugars at 50℃. This study demonstrated the potential application of T. aotearoense SCUT27 for ethanol and butanol production from low cost cane molasses. Conclusions: Our work provided strategies for sucrose utilization in thermophiles and improved biofuels production as well as stress tolerances of T. aotearoense SCUT27, demonstrating the potential application of the strain for cost-effective biofuels production from sucrose-based feedstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recently revised its strategy for shipping decarbonization, deepening the ambition to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The accomplishment of this strategy requires the large-scale deployment of alternative maritime fuels, whose diversity and technical characteristics impose transition challenges. While several studies address the production of these fuels, a notable gap lies in the analysis of the required adaptations in vessels and ports for their usage. This study aims to fill this gap with a comprehensive review of material compatibility, storage in ports/vessels, and bunkering technology. First, we analyze key aspects of port/vessel adaptation: physical and chemical properties; energy conversion for propulsion; fuel feeding and storage; and bunkering procedures. Then, we perform a maturity assessment, placing each studied fuel on the technological readiness scale, revealing the most promising options regarding infrastructure adaptability. Finally, we develop a case study from Brazil, whose economy is grounded on maritime exports. The findings indicate that multi-product ports may have the potential to serve as multi-fuel hubs, while the remaining ports are inclined to specific fuels. In terms of vessel categories, we find that oil tankers, chemical ships, and gas carriers are most ready for conversion in the short term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper selects biofuel scenarios to substitute diesel in Brazil based on oil reserves increase, diesel imports, CO(2) emissions, crops agronomic yields, byproducts marketing and social impacts. This hard task still considers that agricultural practices in developing countries have large social impacts. Brazil presents high consumption of diesel oil in transport; low agronomic yield of traditional vegetable oil crops, which demand large cultivation areas contrasting with microalgae and palm oils which present high productivity. Concerning technologies, thermal cracking and transesterification of vegetable oils present a difficult economic situation related to vegetable oils price, food competition and glycerin market; BTL technology, meaning thermal gasification of biomass to liquids, faces problems related to low density of biomaterials and low viscosity of synthetic biodiesel produced. Biorefinery algal integrated systems and co-solvent technology to introduce up to 8% of ethanol into diesel seem to be feasible routes to reduce diesel consumption.

Copyright of Revista Monografias Ambientais is the property of Revista Monografias Ambientais and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

For international civil aviation to be able to significantly reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) needs to be made feasible. This paper presents the results of an assessment of the feasibility of production of SAF in Brazil, considering three certified routes, based on the dedicated production of eucalyptus, soy, sugarcane and corn. The results presented here refer to the production of biomass in selected locations, aiming to reduce GHG emissions and minimise production costs. Considering that the opportunity costs of feedstocks were not observed, the minimum selling price (MSP) of SAF in the reference case was estimated at 13.4 EUR·GJ−1 for the production based on soybean oil (HEFA-SPK route), 21.0 EUR·GJ−1 for the production based on ethanol from sugarcane and corn (ATJ-SPK) and 32.0 EUR·GJ−1 from eucalyptus (FT-SPK). These values refer to SAF's nth industrial plant and biomass costs that are compatible with the current agricultural yields in Brazil but which are also the highest. The MSP results are relatively low compared to the estimates available in the literature, but they do not show the strict economic viability of SAFs in the short- to medium-term, mainly because of the low prices of fossil fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review investigates the effects of the Brazilian agriculture production and forestry sector on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Residual biomasses produced mainly in the agro-industrial and forestry sector as well as fast-growing plants were studied. Possibilities to minimize source-related emissions by sequestering part of carbon in soil and by producing biomass as a substitute for fossil fuel were extensively investigated. The lack of consistency among literature reports on residual biomass makes it difficult to compare CO2 emission reductions between studies and sectors. Data on chemical composition, heating value, proximate and ultimate analysis of the biomasses were collected. Then, the carbon sequestration potential of the biomasses as well as their usability in renewable energy practices were studied. Over 779.6 million tons of agricultural residues were generated in Brazil between 2021 and 2022. This implies a 12.1 million PJ energy potential, while 4.95 million tons of forestry residues was generated in 2019. An estimated carbon content of 276 Tg from these residues could lead to the production of approximately 1014.2 Tg of CO2. Brazilian biomasses, with a particular focus on agro-forest waste, can contribute to the development of sustainable alternative energy sources. Moreover, agro-waste can provide carbon credits for sustainable Brazilian agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels are increasingly important renewable resources in the world's energy matrix that have challenged the scientific community as well as small and large farmers to develop alternatives to fossil fuels in order to achieve the aims of energy transition. In particular, Brazil's proven competitiveness in agribusiness together with its rich biodiversity put the country in a key position in the biofuels market. The semiarid Caatinga of northeastern Brazil, an exclusive biome rich in many oilseed species suitable for potential energy purposes, is of particular interest in this field. Nowadays, soybeans are the main feedstock used for the production of biodiesel, but, due to the increasing demand for biofuels, the search for alternative sources of oil from tropical flora with high productivity is crucial. Under this premise, this systematic review focuses on mapping Caatinga's vegetable oil crops that could be used as alternative raw materials for biofuels' production in Brazil, in addition to traditional soybeans and sugarcane. To gain more detailed insight into these matrices, their main properties, including oil content, fatty acid profile and physicochemical properties, are discussed. Moreover, an overview is provided of processes to synthesize different types of biofuels, particularly biodiesel and aviation biokerosene, including the routes employing homogeneous, enzymatic and mainly heterogeneous catalysts. Finally, future prospects and challenges for renewable biofuels and the Caatinga biome are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the role that new technologies and government policies have played in the evolution of the biofuels industry in Brazil and East Asia. It documents the factors that contributed to Brazil, China, Japan, and South Korea becoming producers and consumers of biofuels, as well as the extent to which this energy source has been effectively adopted in each of these economies. For the three East Asian countries, it then assesses the extent to which trade and cooperation on biofuels exists with Brazil. It argues that Japan is much more far advanced in its cooperation with Brazil on biofuels and asserts that there is strong potential to improve cooperation with China and South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing counties are often believed to have excellent conditions for biofuel production, however studies aimed at assessing the sustainability of large scale biofuel programs have generally focused on a few variables related to one scientific domain and one scale. Contrary to this approach, this paper analyzes soybean biodiesel in Brazil using a parallel biophysical and economic assessment at different scales. A Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) approach is applied as a scenario analysis tool. A soybean biodiesel energy balance for the specific conditions of Brazil is included and the energy ratio turns out to be 1.09. This means that the energy delivered is higher than the energy invested, however the net energy is very low. The economic impacts are analyzed through input–output analysis. The results show that soybean biodiesel increases energy consumption per hour of work without a corresponding increase in economic labor productivity. Consequently the already low energy efficiency of Brazilian production could get worse. Although Brazil has large expanses of land, the substitution of 20% fossil diesel (i.e. just 3.3% of the country's primary energy consumption) with fully renewable biodiesel might destroy protected areas and forests and increase the GHGs emitted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The concept of innovation has been used in a wide range of contexts and the theoretical development has proven to be extremely valuable to provide important insights into intra-market competition, strategy and regulatory policy. The automotive industry offers a fertile terrain for progress of the uncompleted theory building process of innovation, especially with the introduction of alternative fuels and alternative powertrain technologies. This paper investigates the concept of innovation in the context of the modern automotive industry, by focusing on the notion of regulatory innovation of alternative fuels and alternative powertrain technologies. For the purpose of analysing this issue, special attention is given to the concepts of radical and incremental innovation, which are applied to existing alternative fuels and alternative powertrain technologies, including hybrids, biofuels and hydrogen power. The article explores these three categories looking at representative case studies: the Brazilian ethanol experience with biofuels, the development of the Toyota hybrid vehicle and the technological development of hydrogen fuel cells. These categories have been selected because they represent the most important advances in cleaner production for the automotive industry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents Latin American and Asian perspectives on the biofuels emerging industry. The Brazilian's possibilities of participation on this industry evolution and the involvement on the world trade for ethanol and biodiesel are discussed. Also, an investigation about who will be the main "strategic" partners of Brazil in this sector is made: the huge consumer markets of developed countries or the emerging and also hungry consumers of energy Asian economies? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is expected that Brazil could play an important role in biojet fuel (BJF) production in the future due to the long experience in biofuel production and the good agro‐ecological conditions. However, it is difficult to quantify the techno‐economic potential of BJF because of the high spatiotemporal variability of available land, biomass yield, and infrastructure as well as the technological developments in BJF production pathways. The objective of this research is to assess the recent and future techno‐economic potential of BJF production in Brazil and to identify location‐specific optimal combinations of biomass crops and technological conversion pathways. In total, 13 production routes (supply chains) are assessed through the combination of various biomass crops and BJF technologies. We consider temporal land use data to identify potential land availability for biomass production. With the spatial distribution of the land availability and potential yield of biomass crops, biomass production potential and costs are calculated. The BJF production cost is calculated by taking into account the development in the technological pathways and in plant scales. We estimate the techno‐economic potential by determining the minimum BJF total costs and comparing this with the range of fossil jet fuel prices. The techno‐economic potential of BJF production ranges from 0 to 6.4 EJ in 2015 and between 1.2 and 7.8 EJ in 2030, depending on the reference fossil jet fuel price, which varies from 19 to 65 US$/GJ across the airports. The techno‐economic potential consists of a diverse set of production routes. The Northeast and Southeast region of Brazil present the highest potentials with several viable production routes, whereas the remaining regions only have a few promising production routes. The maximum techno‐economic potential of BJF in Brazil could meet almost half of the projected global jet fuel demand toward 2030. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the increase in Brazilian ethanol production has been based on expansion of sugarcane-cropped area, mainly by the land use change ( LUC) pasture-sugarcane. However, second-generation (2G) cellulosic-derived ethanol supplies are likely to increase dramatically in the next years in Brazil. Both these management changes potentially affect soil C ( SOC) changes and may have a significant impact on the greenhouse gases balance of Brazilian ethanol. To evaluate these impacts, we used the DayCent model to predict the influence of the LUC native vegetation ( NV)-pasture ( PA)-sugarcane ( SG), as well as to evaluate the effect of different management practices (straw removal, no-tillage, and application of organic amendments) on long-term SOC changes in sugarcane areas in Brazil. The DayCent model estimated that the conversion of NV- PA caused SOC losses of 0.34 ± 0.03 Mg ha−1 yr−1, while the conversion PA- SG resulted in SOC gains of 0.16 ± 0.04 Mg ha−1 yr−1. Moreover, simulations showed SOC losses of 0.19 ± 0.04 Mg ha−1 yr−1 in SG areas in Brazil with straw removal. However, our analysis suggested that adoption of some best management practices can mitigate these losses, highlighting the application of organic amendments (+0.14 ± 0.03 Mg C ha−1 yr−1). Based on the commitments made by Brazilian government in the UNFCCC, we estimated the ethanol production needed to meet the domestic demand by 2030. If the increase in ethanol production was based on the expansion of sugarcane area on degraded pasture land, the model predicted a SOC accretion of 144 Tg from 2020 to 2050, while increased ethanol production based on straw removal as a cellulosic feedstock was predicted to decrease SOC by 50 Tg over the same 30-year period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Applied Economics / Economía Aplicada is the property of FEA-RP, Universidade de Sao Paulo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the short and medium terms, biofuels are the most viable alternative to reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels. The recent controversy over the competition between biofuels and food production increases the complexity of investment decisions in the biodiesel production chain. In this context, decision support tools are highly relevant. The purpose of this article is to describe the BiodieselFAO using the Unified Modeling Language (UML). An integrated analysis considering both agricultural and industrial sectors was identified as a key requirement to the system. Therefore, farmers and industry are the main actors in the use case diagram. As the raw material represents around 70% of the industrial cost of biodiesel production, the price negotiation of raw material (oilseeds) is the central use case. Configuration, agriculture, industry, results and scenarios are the modules, which encompass the functionalities derived from the UML diagrams. The Food and Agricultur e Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has made the BiodieselFAO available, free of charge, to around 180 professionals from 17 Latin American countries. Additionally, the developing team has supported the usage of the BiodieselFAO in several biodiesel investment analyses throughout Latin America. The system was also useful in the design and analysis of policy related to biodiesel industry in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.S., Brazil and a number of European and other countries worldwide have introduced various support schemes for bioethanol and biodiesel. The advantage of these biofuels is that they are relatively easily integrated with the current fossil fuel-based transport sector, at least up to a certain point. However, recent studies point to various negative effects of expanding the production of first generation (1G) biofuels further. 1G biofuels' problems can be overcome by a transition to second generation (2G) biofuels. So far, 2G biofuels are much more costly to produce. We therefore ask: to what extent is targeted support to 2G biofuels likely to bring costs down? Additionally, are current support schemes for biofuels well designed in order to promote the development of 2G biofuels? We find that the prospects for cost reduction look better for 2G bioethanol than for 2G biodiesel. Bioethanol made from cellulose is far from a ripe technology, with several cost-reducing opportunities yet to be developed. Hence, targeted support to cellulosic ethanol might induce a switch from 1G to 2G biofuels. However, we find little evidence that production and use of 1G bioethanol will bridge the conversion to 2G bioethanol. Hence, to the extent that private investment in the development of 2G bioethanol is too low, current support schemes for 1G biofuels may block 2G bioethanol instead of promoting it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and rapidly escalating global demand for food, fuel, fibre and feed present seemingly contradictory challenges to humanity. Can greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from land-use, more than one-fourth of the global total, decline as growth in land-based production accelerates? This review examines the status of two major international initiatives that are designed to address different aspects of this challenge. REDD+ is an emerging policy framework for providing incentives to tropical nations and states that reduce their GHG emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Market transformation, best represented by agricultural commodity roundtables, seeks to exclude unsustainable farmers from commodity markets through international social and environmental standards for farmers and processors. These global initiatives could potentially become synergistically integrated through (i) a shared approach for measuring and favouring high environmental and social performance of land use across entire jurisdictions and (ii) stronger links with the domestic policies, finance and laws in the jurisdictions where agricultural expansion is moving into forests. To achieve scale, the principles of REDD+ and sustainable farming systems must be embedded in domestic low-emission rural development models capable of garnering support across multiple constituencies. We illustrate this potential with the case of Mato Grosso State in the Brazilian Amazon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Brazilian Cerrado is one of the most important biodiversity reservoirs in the world. The sugarcane cultivation is expanding in this biome and necessitates the study of how it may impact the soil properties of the Cerrado. There is a lack of information especially about the impacts of different sugarcane management on the native bacterial communities of Cerrado soil. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate and compare the soil bacterial community structure of the Cerrado vegetation with two sugarcane systems. Methods: We evaluated samples under native vegetation and the impact of the two most commonly used management strategies for sugarcane cultivation (burnt cane and green cane) on this diversity using pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR of the rrs gene (16S rRNA). Results and Conclusions: Nineteen different phyla were identified, with Acidobacteria (≈35%), Proteobacteria (≈24%) and Actinobacteria (≈21%) being the most abundant. Many of the sequences were represented by few operational taxonomic units (OTUs, 3% of dissimilarity), which were found in all treatments. In contrast, there were very strong patterns of local selection, with many OTUs occurring only in one sample. Our results reveal a complex bacterial diversity, with a large fraction of microorganisms not yet described, reinforcing the importance of this biome. As possible sign of threat, the qPCR detected a reduction of the bacterial population in agricultural soils compared with native Cerrado soil communities. We conclude that sugarcane cultivation promoted significant structural changes in the soil bacterial community, with Firmicutes phylum and Acidobacteria classes being the groups most affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cadernos EBAPE.BR is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas, Escola Brasileira de Administracao Publica e de Empresas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Shaping a secure and sustainable energy future may require a set of transformations in the global energy sector. Although several studies have recognized the importance of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for power systems, no large-scale studies have been performed to assess the impact of this technology in energy systems combining a diverse set of renewable energies for electricity production and biofuels in the transportation sector such as the case of Brazil. This research makes several noteworthy contributions to the current literature, including not only the evaluation of the main impacts of EVs' penetration in a renewable electricity system but also a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) that estimates the overall level of CO2 emissions resulted from the EVs integration. Findings of this study indicated a clear positive effect of increasing the share of EVs on reducing the overall level of CO2 emissions. This is, however, highly dependent on the share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in the power system and the use of biofuels in the transport sector but also on the credits resulting from the battery recycling materials credit and battery reuse credit. Our conclusions underline the importance of such studies in providing support for the governmental discussions regarding potential synergies in the use of bioresources between transport and electricity sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative breeds of sugar cane yield up to 2.5 times as much organic matter as conventional breeds, resulting in a great potential for biogas production. The use of biogas production as a complementary solution to conventional and second-generation ethanol production in Brazil may increase the energy produced per hectare in the sugarcane sector. Herein, it was demonstrated that through ensiling, energy cane can be conserved for six months; the stored cane can then be fed into a continuous biogas process. This approach is necessary to achieve year-round biogas production at an industrial scale. Batch tests revealed specific biogas potentials between 400 and 600 LN/kgVS for both the ensiled and non-ensiled energy cane, and the specific biogas potential of a continuous biogas process fed with ensiled energy cane was in the same range. Peak biogas losses through ensiling of up to 27% after six months were observed. Finally, compared with second-generation ethanol production using energy cane, the results indicated that biogas production from energy cane may lead to higher energy yields per hectare, with an average energy yield of up to 162 MWh/ha. Finally, the Farm2CBG concept is introduced, showing an approach for decentralized biogas production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]