Routes to Second-Generation Bioethanol in Brazil: Foundation of the National Institute of Science and Technology of Bioethanol

Abstract

Along the last 8 years, the National Institute of Science and Technology of Bioethanol (INCT-Bioetanol) reached several important milestones towards the main objective of producing second-generation bioethanol from sugarcane bagasse. The sugarcane cell wall structure and architecture is now better understood, dozens of new cell wall hydrolases had their genes and enzymes fully characterized, sugargane physiology and its responses to climate change were investigated, and novel yeast strains capable to metabolize pentoses have been discovered. At the same time, history and politics involved in sugarcane as a bioenergy source have been studied and revised. Thus, simultaneously with other large bioenergy programs in the USA and Europe that were set up to improve renewable energy production, the INCT-Bioetanol in Brazil managed to produce important data in basic research. All this data is expected to help industry to produce not only more ethanol, but also new biomaterials to foster bioeconomy. This book reports some of these findings.